Speak Now
by The Equestrian Writer
Summary: Ty is getting married...to Heather. Will Amy come forward and admit her feelings before it's too late?
1. Wedding Crasher

**A/N: **I was inspired to do this story after hearing Taylor Swift's new song 'Speak Now'. And for something completely unrelated. In case some of you don't know, I am the author of Unexpected Events and A Mother's Love, they are just on my sister's account. I will update them soon.

**Disclaimer: **Sadly, I do not own Heartland or its characters, that privilege goes to Lauren Brooke. The song lyrics don't belong me to either, they are the work of the ever-talented Taylor Swift.

_~I am not the kind of girl who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion~_

_~But you are not the kind of boy who should be marrying the wrong girl~_

The church stood across the street from where I sat in my car, tantalizingly. I don't even know why I'm here, I was supposed to be on a plane bound for England. My ticket and passport was sitting on the seat beside me. Alfredo was waiting. I looked back at the church and after what seemed like hours, when it was only seconds, I turned the car off. _I just have to see him before…._I didn't dare finish that thought.

_~I sneak in and see your friends and her snotty little family all dressed in pastel~_

_~and she is yelling at a bridesmaid~_

_~somewhere back inside a room wearing a gown shaped like a pastry~_

_~this is surely not what you thought it would be~_

_~I lose myself in a daydream where I stand and say~_

The large wooden doors of the church opened with a small squeak and I winced slightly. But inside, no one notice, they were too busy running back and forth. I sidled into the front hall, unsure of where to go or what to do. There was a hall to my right that looked like it led to dressing rooms/bathrooms. I started down the hall, but stopped when I heard voices coming from one of the rooms.

"Ew! What is this?" came Heather's shriek. "I said look at the picture, what did you do?"

"I'm sorry, Heather, I did the best I could," came the weak reply of a bridesmaid.

"Your best?" Heather scoffed. "Leslie, please take over. I want to look like a princess, not someone who slept in a barn last night."

I flinched at the comment. I turned around and walked back to the front hall. That's when I saw him. He was looking in a mirror, fixing his tie, more like fidgeting with his tie. _He doesn't want to do this. _Before I knew what I was doing, I was walking to the open doorway. Through the mirror, green eyes met grey ones.

"Amy?" his voice was so quiet, I almost didn't hear him, but I did, he turned to face me.

"Ty…don't do this."

_~Don't say yes, run away now~_

_~I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the back door~_

_~Don't wait or say a single vow~_

_~you need to hear me out~_

_~and they said speak now~_

"Hey, Ty," Lou said as she, Scott, and grandpa walked into the room. I jumped back to reality and realized that I was standing just outside the room where Ty and my family were. "We just wanted to see you before the ceremony." I heard Lou say.

It was followed by polite conversation, I could feel the tension in the room from here. "I wish Amy could be here," I heard Ty say and my heart started beating faster when he said my name. I thought I detected a hint of sadness in his voice.

"It's probably for the best," Lou said.

They started talking, but their voices all melted into one and I could no longer concentrate on them.

_~Fond gestures are exchanged~_

_~and the organ starts to play a song that sounds like a death march~_

_~and I am hiding in the curtains~_

_~it seems that I was uninvited by your lovely bride-to-be~_

_~she floats down the aisle like a pageant queen~_

_~but I know you wish it was me~_

_~you wish it was me, don't you~_

After a few minutes, her family left the room, leaving Ty alone. This was my chance. I should walk in there and…say what? That we should never have broken up, that I want him back? He's getting married, he's chosen his life, who he wants to spend it with. I peeked around the opened doorway and saw Ty sitting on one of the couches, with his head in his hands. I should do this, it's now or never.

I stepped into the room, at the same time a man I didn't recognize did too. He completely blocked my view of Ty. He told Ty it was time to head out. I quickly ducked out of the room before Ty saw me. The two men left the room and headed into the church. I leaned against the wall, trying to blink back the tears that were already forming in my eyes.

_~Don't say yes, run away now~_

_~I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the back door~_

_~Don't wait or say a single vow~_

_~you need to hear me out~_

_~and they said speak now~_

_~Don't say yes, run away now~_

_~I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the back door~_

_~Don't wait or say a single vow~_

_~your time is running out~_

_~and they said speak now~_

I watched Heather and her procession start down the aisle and I couldn't take it anymore. I headed for the exit. I knew I shouldn't have come. I only hurt myself by coming here. Stifling a sob and wiping the tears away, I pulled open the door.

_~I hear the preacher say speak now or forever hold your peace~_

"If anyone thinks these two should not be wed, please speak now or forever hold your peace,"

The words seemed to float from the alter to where I stood at the door. I froze, I couldn't step outside. It was like there was an invisible wall stopping me from leaving the church. Then, without another thought, I spun around and started running back toward the wedding.

_~There's the silence, there's my last chance~_

_~I stand up with shaky hands~_

_~All eyes on me~_

_~Horrified looks from everyone in the room~_

_~But I'm only looking at you~_

The whole room turned to look when the doors burst open and a girl wearing jeans and a sweatshirt started running down the aisle. I heard Lou's voice from somewhere in the crowd, but I wasn't listening. I stopped just a few feet from the bride and groom.

"Ty, don't do it,"

_~I am not the kind of girl who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion~_

_~But you are not the kind of boy who should be marrying the wrong girl~_

"Amy?" Ty looked back at Heather, who was clutching his arm as if keeping from going to me. I heard him tell her he needed to talk to me for a minute. Heather hesitated and the let go of his arm. Then Ty was standing in front of me.

"What are you doing here?" he asked in a whisper.

"I couldn't stay away," I answered, aware that I spoke in a normal voice and that everyone could hear me. " Ty, I…"

He stopped me by taking my arm and walking a few steps down the aisle. "We should go someplace else to talk,"

"No," I said pulling my arm from his grasp. "This is a mistake," I said, gesturing around at the wedding. "I'm still in love with you…..I don't think I ever stopped."

"Amy, I…."

"Ty, listen, I know I was the one who broke it off," I explained. "I thought we needed some time apart, to be ourselves. But it felt like I lost a piece of myself instead and then one day…."

I held up my hand with claddagh ring he had given me so long ago on it, with the heart still facing in. I looked up into Ty's emerald eyes, which were a little moist. "I never turned it around," I whispered.

"Amy," Ty whispered back, running his hand across my cheek. I closed my eyes and leaned into his touch, the touch I've missed so much. "My heart has always belonged to you." I opened my eyes and looked into his, and that's when we realized where we still were. Ty cleared his throat. "There's something I have to do," I nodded and he turned and walked back to Heather.

All of a sudden, I felt subconscious standing there in front of everyone, by myself.

_~So don't say yes, run away now~_

_~I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the back door~_

_~Don't wait or say a single vow~_

_~You need to hear me out~_

_~They said speak now~_

Finally, I wasn't able to take the atmosphere in there any longer and left the room. I breathed in the crisp, fall air, the coolness felt good against my hot skin. I did it. I told Ty the truth and he was in there breaking the news to Heather and everyone else. I felt bad for Heather, no one deserved to be left at the alter, but knowing Ty he would let her down gentle.

At that moment, I felt a presence walking up behind me. I didn't even hear the door open. I turned around and saw him. He had gotten rid of his tie and his white shirt was slightly untucked. I smiled and he smiled back.

_~And you say let's run away now~_

_~I'll meet you when I'm out of my tux at the back door~_

_~Baby, I didn't say my vows~_

_~So glad you were around~_

_~When they said speak now~_

Our arms came around each other and my lips found his for a long-awaited kiss. It was full of longing, and passion, as we became reacquainted with each other. My hands buried themselves in his hair as he pulled me even closer to him. When we finally broke apart, we were both panting hard as our foreheads touched.

"I love you, Amy," Ty declared.

"I love you, too," I told him and buried my face in the crook of his neck, glad to be in his arms again.

The End

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**If you liked it please review. I would love to know what you thought.**


	2. Runaway

**A/N: **Ok, I got a few reviews saying that I should continue this story, so I am. I've got a few ideas of where to go from here, so let me know what you think.

**Disclaimer: **Sadly, I do not own Heartland or its characters, that privilege goes to Lauren Brooke.

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**Chapter Two**

We ended up at Ty's apartment. It was a good thing too, because I didn't feel up to seeing anyone from Heartland. No doubt they would bombard me with questions that I probably didn't have the answers to. Ty and I only exchanged a few words during the drive and even now he wandered around the apartment aimlessly. I stood awkwardly by the door, unsure of what to do with myself.

"Are you having second thoughts?" I asked the question that's been on my mind since we were on the road.

"No, Amy," Ty stopped what he was doing and came over to me. "No, I—I love you."

"But you must have loved her too?" I said as he took both my hands in his. "I mean, you were going to marry her."

Ty was silent for a moment and I started to pull away, but he stopped me and pulled me over to the couch. He sat down, but I remained standing. "Yes, I did love Heather and I do regret that she got hurt. But Amy the love I felt for her is nothing compared to how I feel for you right now." Ty took my hand and pulled me down next to him.

We stared at each other for a moment, those familiar emerald eyes searching mine. We were being pulled together like two magnets until our lips were only inches apart. And then we were pressed together in a searing and passionate kiss. Ty shrugged out of his jacket and I started unbuttoning his shirt, trailing kisses down his chest as I went. His hands were in my hair and he was breathing heavy. He flung the shirt off and I pulled my sweatshirt up over my head.

Ty stared at me for a moment. He had only ever seen me wearing t-shirts, not anything like this camisole. His fingers played with the straps, sending shivers down my spine. "You're beautiful," he murmured and then our mouths came back together in another passionate kiss.

Somewhere faraway a ringing commenced, slipping through the fogginess in my head. Something inside me told me it was my cell phone and to answer it, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I wanted Ty, needed him now and nothing was going to stop me.

"Just ignore it," I whispered against his lips, willing the phone to be quiet already. And then it did, but a second later a voice echoed through the room.

"Amy, where are you?" came the voice, laced with worry and a hint of anger. Ty and I pulled away from each other and stared at phone on the floor, where it had fallen out of my sweatshirt. "The plane is about to take off, where are you? Did something happen? I can't miss this flight, so please call me as soon as you get this. I'll be back in about a week, I'll see you then, I guess. I love you, Amy."

The phone clicked off and we sat in silence, the moment shattered. I closed my eyes, trying to think of a way to explain this to Ty. But what could I say? He had just heard Alfredo call and ask where I was and he told me he loved me. After I just broke up his wedding, claiming that I still loved him. I put my head in my hands, sighing to myself. This wasn't going to end well.

I got my answer when I felt Ty get up from the couch and heard his footsteps leave the room. I sat there for another minute before getting up and following him. He was in the kitchen when I found him, leaning over the sink and staring out the window.

I hesitated in the doorway, suddenly unsure of myself. "Ty, I can explain," I started. He didn't say anything, didn't even acknowledge I had spoken. "We were heading to England, Alfredo and I, Alfredo is building a polo stable over there and we would rescue horses on the side. We were leaving today and I just wanted to—to see you before—I left."

"Do you love him?" Ty asked suddenly, catching me off-guard.

"What?"

"Because Alfredo loves you," Ty said turning around to face me. "Amy, you must have felt something towards the guy, you were planning on moving to another country and start a new life with him. Do you love him?"

"I thought I did," I admitted.

"But you're still with him," Ty replied. "Amy, you came to my wedding and told me you still loved me. I walked away from someone I was happy with. Someone I care for very deeply, whom I just hurt for you. And then I find out you're still with him. Were you just going to sleep with me and then go to England and be with him?"

"No, no it wasn't like that!" I protested, shaking my head fiercely and reaching for him.

Ty pulled his hand out of my grasp. "Then what?" Ty retorted. "Amy, I didn't hear from you in months and then you just show up at my _wedding_. What was I supposed to think?"

There was a silence as we both looked at the other. Then Ty brushed past me and walked out of the room. Blinking back the tears that had been forming in my eyes, I hurried after him.

"Ty, wait!" I grabbed his arm.

Ty looked at me. "I have to go to Heather and apologize," he told her. "She didn't deserve to be hurt like that."

"Do you love her?" I asked, my voice low, I could barely get the words out.

"Amy, don't," Ty said, twisting out of my grasp and heading towards the door.

"Just answer the question!" I exclaimed as he opened the front door. "I mean you had to have loved her, right? You were going to marry her!"

Ty didn't say anything, he just shook his head and walked outside. I stayed where I was until I heard Ty's truck drive away. I let out a scream and swung my arm, sending the contents of a nearby table to the floor. Glass shattered and I looked down to see a broken picture frame at me feet.

A smiling Ty and Heather looked up at me, mocking me. I knelt down and carefully picked up the photograph. It was of the two of them on some sort of dance floor, laughing and dancing as someone took their picture. I tossed the photo far away from me and I glanced down at the broken remains of the picture frame. There was another photo lying there, one that had been hidden behind the other one.

I gasped a little when I saw myself in the picture, with Ty. I was riding Sundance and Ty was riding a bay mare who had been rehomed. Someone must have taken it when we didn't know because we were looking at each other, our hands clasped together and smiling.

The tears that I had been holding back came in sudden sobs and I was on the floor with my back against the wall. Everything was all messed up and I didn't know what to do. I pulled my legs to my chest and cried.

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**A/N: **Please review and tell what you think.


	3. A Scorned Bride

**A/N: **I'm really sorry for the long wait with no updates, that was not my intention. I've been writing all my fanfics at the same time, and some chapters took longer than others. I hope I still have some readers out there, if so please enjoy this chapter.

**Chapter Three**

By the time I got to Heartland it was dusk and it looked like all the horses had been fed. I parked the car and got my bags from the back. Hefting the bags over my shoulder, I started up the path to the house, dreading what was waiting for me inside. I considered going to the small cottage where grandpa and Nancy lived behind the main house. It was built about a year ago to accommodate Lou and Scott's growing family.

I got up to the porch and stopped. I couldn't go in, not yet anyway. Setting my bags on the porch, I turned to the pastures. Sundance was in the pasture with the other ponies. I whistled softly and all the ponies heads shot up. I hurried to the pasture as the ponies watched me. Then the herd dispersed as a buckskin gelding trotted through them, ears pinned and head lowered. Sundance kicked out his hind legs for good measure and pricked his ears toward me. Sundance neighed.

I climbed over the fence and walked across the field. Sundance met me halfway. The gelding immediately started searching my pockets for treats, but, regrettably, I didn't have any. Realizing I had nothing, Sundance snorted in my face and lowered his head to the ground.

"Oh, did I insult you?" I laughed as Sundance nibbled grass by my boot. I ruffled his short black mane, someone must have cut it because it was never this short, and sat down on the ground. "I did a bad thing, boy."

I hugged my legs to my chest, resting my chin on my knees. "I don't know what to do," I confessed to the old pony. Sundance picked his head up and nuzzled my hair. I smiled, Sundance had always been there for me no matter what I was going through. It made me sad to think that one day he wouldn't be here, especially considering his age. There was a shout from behind me. I twisted around to see and saw Lou beckoning to me from the farmhouse. I sighed, it was now or never. Giving Sundance one last pat, I stood up, brushing dirt and grass off my jeans. I felt the pony watching me as I made my way to the gate. After a moment, I heard his hoofbeats as he trotted away back to the other horses.

XXX

"Aunt Amy!" came the four-year-old's cry when I walked into the kitchen. There was a squeak of one of the chairs and then I half-stumbled backward when she grabbed my legs in a hug. I smiled and knelt down to her level.

"Your hair's getting so long, Holly," I said, fingering her damp, blonde hair. It was nearing her waist and it curled at the ends.

"Mommy says, I have princess hair," Holly beamed, showing a full smile of small, white baby teeth.

"Well, you do look like a princess in those pajamas," I told her. The little girl was wearing pink pajamas with three of the Disney princesses, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White, on the shirt and various princess accessories on the pants. Holly giggled and did a little twirl.

"Holly, get up at the table and finish your cookies," Lou told her daughter when she came into the kitchen.

"I'm done," Holly said running out of the kitchen. Lou sighed and cleaned up the one and a half-eaten cookies on the table. I straightened up and watched my sister, unsure of what to say or do.

"Have you eaten?" Lou asked me as she wiped the table clean. Her belly was starting to expand and I wondered just how far long she was in her pregnancy.

I shook me head. "I'm not hungry," I moved to sit in Holly's vacated chair at the table. "I know what you're thinking."

"Oh, really," Lou said. She sat down opposite me, putting her chin in her palm. "Go ahead."

"I'm a wedding-crashing slut," I said into my hands. "I don't deserve Ty."

"Amy, no," Lou replied, prying my hands from my face. "Your methods were wrong, but you saved Ty from making the biggest mistake of his life." I looked at her. "Heather made him happy, but he didn't love her, not the same way he loves you. We all could see it. Amy, you and Ty belong together."

"I ruined it," I told her, sullenly, thinking of the last conversation I had with Ty. The way he had looked at me. "He hates me." Lou opened her mouth to say something when the door leading to the hallway opened.

"I can't seem to find Georgia's pajamas. They're not where you said they were." Scott said coming into the kitchen carrying the one-year-old, wrapped in her hooded fairy towl. "Oh, hi, Amy. Am I interrupting?"

"We were finished," Lou replied getting up and taking Georgia from her husband. "I'll get her ready for bed." She looked over at me. "See you in the morning, Amy." Scott gave me a smile and then followed his wife out of the room.

I sat there for awhile after they left, thinking. If I hadn't broken things up with Ty, that could be us right now. Maybe not the baby part, but I would be starting my first job as a full-time equine vet and possibly planning a wedding. I choked on a sob, but no tears came. I was glad; I was tired of crying.

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The next morning I woke up to a four-year-old leaning over the arm of the sofa I was lying on. My old room was currently occupying Lou and Scott's youngest daughter, Georgia. So, Scott had helped me fix up the couch to sleep on. I had been too tired last night to think about it, but now I felt like I was intruding in their home.

"You're awake!" Holly squealed right in my ear. I sat up, rubbing sleep out of my eyes. "Daddy made waffles! C'mon, hurry up!" And just like that, the little girl was running back into the kitchen. I sat on the couch another minute before getting up and changing into a clean pair of jeans and t-shirt from my suitcase.

When I walked into the kitchen, I was greeted by the warm, buttery aroma of homemade waffles. Scott was at the the waffle-maker on the counter and Holly was sitting at the table digging into a syrup-covered waffle. Lou was feeding Georgia, who was in her booster seat. I went to the refrigerator and poured myself a glass of orange juice.

"Do you want some waffles, Amy?" Scott asked her. "We've got plenty."

"No, thanks," I said, sipping the juice. "I'm going to see if they need any help with the horses." I put the glass down on the table and started for the door.

"Amy, are you sure that's a good idea?" Lou asked me, stopping me.

I turned to look at her. "I'm not going to hide out in here," I told her.

Outside, most of the horses looked like they were already out in the paddocks. I could hear the banging of buckets and the scraping of pitchforks from the back barn. Not ready to face Ty just yet, I walked over to the front stable block. Most of the stalls were empty except for the last two in the row. In the first one was a senior black gelding who pinned his ears back when I passed as he chewed his hay. I kept walking to the last stall.

A beautiful palomino gelding stood inside. His stark white mane and tail stood out against his dark, golden coat. He had two identical white socks on his front legs. It wasn't until he turned to look at me that I saw the long, ugly scar on his face. It ran from the middle of his forehead, curving down below his left eye. I sucked in a breath. I couldn't imagine what could give a horse a scar like that. My heart went out to the gelding.

"Whoa, Sundance!" came a voice from the riding ring, followed by the thud of hoofbeats. "Whoa!"

I hurried over to the arena just in time to see Sundance giving his rider a hard time. He was shaking his head, ears pinned, refusing to go forward. Before I could move, Sundance spotted me and he stopped. While the pony was distracted, the rider kicked him hard in his sides and smacked him with her crop. Sundance snorted in surprise and jerked forward into a trot.

Anger surged through me at the way this girl was treating my horse. I climbed over the fence and ran across the arena. Sundance stopped when he saw me and I grabbed his bridle. I looked up at the rider, ready to tell her off, but all the words left me when I saw who it was.

Heather.

She smirked. "First, you steal my fiance, now you're trying to steal my horse. Is there anything you won't do?" Heather said dismounting.

"Excuse me, but Sundance is mine," I said taken aback. As if he was proving my point, Sundance rubbed his head on my arm. "And you can't be treating him like some young, misbehaving jumper."

"I'm sorry, who's been exercising and taking care of him for the past four years?" Heather asked; it was rhetorical. "That's right, me. So, I think I know what's best for Sunny."

"Look, I get that you are upset-" I started to say.

"Upset? Who says I'm upset? I'm happy," Heather interrupted me. "Yeah, I'm supposed to be on my honeymoon right now, but that's just one minor setback. Because you lost." I took a step back, not wanting to get into this with her. But Heather wasn't finished.

"You thought you could come back and Ty would fall at your feet, crazy in love, just like he always was. But you were wrong." Heather grinned.

"Do you want me to take care of him for you?" I asked, reaching for Sundance's reins. Anything to get away from her. Heather jerked her hand clutching the reins away, causing Sundance to snort and toss his head.

"Ty came to me," Heather continued. "He apologized for what he did, for hurting me. He couldn't stop apologizing and saying he wanted to make it up to me. He said he was wrong for leaving me. It was a mistake."

_You and I walk a fragile line,_

_I had known it all this time_

_But I never thought I'd live to see it break_

It felt like she had punched me; all the air whooshed out of me and I couldn't breathe. "He said that?" I was surprised my voice sounded steady, because I felt like I was crumbling. But I won't give Heather the satisfaction of seeing me fall apart.

_Whoa, I'm holding my breath,_

_Won't lose you again_

Heather smiled and led Sundance away. I watched them leave the arena, unable to move. I wasn't going to cry; I couldn't. I focused on taking deep, even breaths. When I looked up towards the barn, someone was standing at the edge of the building.

_Something's made your eyes go cold,_

It was Ty; he was watching me, his arms crossed over his chest. I wasn't sure how long he had been standing there, but by the look on his face he had to have seen at least some of the exchange. Ty caught my eye and I saw him shake his head. He walked away after that.

_Come on, come on,_

_Don't leave me like this_

_I thought I had you figured out_

_Something's gone terribly wrong,_

_You're all I wanted_

I sucked in a breath. Heather was right; Ty regretted running away with me. He didn't want me anymore.

_Stood there and watched you walk away,_

_From everything we had_

_But I still mean every word I said,_

_To you_

**A/N: **Ok, let me have it. I know you all have a lot to say after that. I know exactly where this story is heading, so don't worry or should you? Please review. Reviews = Happiness.


	4. Letting Go

**A/N: **This chapter took longer than expected, I wanted to post it sooner. But I worked really hard on it, so I hope you guys like it. Though I have a feeling, I may anger a few readers by the end of this chapter. Just stick with this story and you won't be disappointed.

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**Chapter Four**

I stood outside the palomino gelding's stall; I hadn't known what to do and I hadn't dared to ask Ty or Heather. Joni had found me wandering around and introduced me to all the new arrivals. The palomino was one of the last ones she had showed me. His name was Apollo, for the sun god. He was a prized, champion Quarter horse until he had started refusing to go into a trailer. His previous owners had whipped him repeatedly until he went inside. One day was especially bad; Apollo had taken three hard, slicing hits to the face before he reared up and fell over backward. Luckily, he wasn't injured that bad except for the abrasion on his face.

Scott was the one who had treated him. Once the owners saw the disfigured stallion, they didn't want him anymore. Scott brought him to Heartland after castrating him, so that he would be easier to handle. Joni also told her that he had developed massive head shyness and he couldn't be within sight of a trailer without going crazy, whips too. The stall was the only place he was calm, when he was outside he just got to agitated and wound up.

As soon as I had laid eyes on the gelding, I felt drawn to Apollo. Joni had told me, I could see what I could do with him. Right now, the gelding was standing at the back of the stall, watching me. He hadn't moved in the five minutes I'd been here. Though he didn't flinch when I had leaned on the stall door. Wanting to try something, I slid back the bolt on the stall door.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you,"

I turned around slowly, knowing exactly who that voice belonged to. Heather Middleton stood a few feet away, hands on hip. Her tan breeches were tucked neatly into polished, black riding boots and she wore a navy, fleece pullover. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail, but not one hair was out of place. She looked like she just stepped out of a magazine. I fought the urge to kick dirt on her expensive boots, though it would be satisfying.

"Unless you enjoy getting kicked in the head," Heather said walking closer. "Apollo doesn't like anybody in his stall. He went crazy the first few times we tried to take him out."

"Thanks for the warning," I replied as politely as I could. "But I think I know what I'm doing."

"I'm just trying to help you out," Heather continued crossing her arms. "I mean, you haven't been here in so long and you don't know any of the horses, so..."

"So, Joni's told me about Apollo and I just wanted to see if I could help him," I explained, although I didn't have to explain what I was doing on my ranch.

Heather didn't say anything, she just stood there with her arms crossed and her perfectly-shaped eyebrows arched. Wanting to be done with this conversation, I opened the stall door and started to step inside. But Heather grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

"You can't do that," Heather said and I saw that she wore a panicked look on her face. Apollo was also getting anxious; he was snorting and shifting his feet.

"Get your hands off me," I told her, yanking my arm out of her grasp. Just then, Joni came over towing Bear, the chestnut gelding they'd rescued from a cattle truck among other horses, behind her.

"Whoa, what's going on here?" Joni asked, halting Bear.

Heather spoke first. "Amy's trying to go into Apollo's stall. I just don't want anyone getting hurt."

I stared at her.

"Heather, it's okay. I told Amy about Apollo," Joni said to Heather. "Amy knows what she's doing."

"I know Amy is more than capable of handling Apollo," Heather apologized. "It was just that Apollo doesn't know her and I was just looking out for her is all."

"It's fine," I tried to smile at her. "No harm done." Seeing as there was nothing wrong anymore, Joni led Bear away and Heather stalked off without another word. I was left alone again with Apollo. I peered into the stall.

The palomino gelding was still a bit agitated; pacing his stall and tossing his head. I wanted to go in the stall and calm him down so much, but I had a feeling that would send him over the edge. So, I locked the stall door and walked away. I found myself walking toward the round pen, where I could hear the thunder of hoofbeats.

A black, lanky colt was cantering playfully around the ring with his ears pricked and tail up like a sail. I recognized him as the two year old Anglo-Arabian colt Joni had introduced me to. Ebony Fire was his name. It suited him; the way he was cantering around the ring, he was having fun. His neck was beautiful arched and his delicately dished face tucked into his chest. It was then that I realized who was standing in the middle of the ring. It was Ty.

I stopped short, but my curiosity about the colt got me walking again. Ty was obviously doing join-up with the colt, but it wasn't going well. He was perfectly happy running around. I moved closer to the fence, being careful not to distract the colt. As usual I was struck at how assertive, but gentle Ty was in the ring. Every movement he made had a reason, communicating with the colt with very little body language. But Ebony Fire wasn't listening to Ty, he didn't care about joining up with Ty. I was surprised; most youngsters were usually eager to join-up, wanting to be part of the herd. But this colt was perfectly content to be on his own.

"Alright, fine," Ty sighed. "You want to stay out there, go ahead." When he turned and caught sight of me, he stopped. I stiffened, thinking I should just make it easy for both of us and walk away. But I couldn't, I didn't want to. As if coming to a decision, Ty started to walk over to me.

"He's stubborn," I observed, deciding to stay on the topic of horses. "And beautiful."

"Yeah, he's that," Ty responded, looking back at the colt. Fire had stopped and was now looking at Ty as if he had just insulted him by walking away. "I've been out here for thirty minutes and he just doesn't want to join-up. This is the third time I've tried."

"Joni told me his owners sent him here for basic training," I said, leaning on the fence.

Ty nodded. "They bought him thinking that he was broken to saddle," he explained. "Turned out the only piece of tack he was accustomed to was a halter."

"How is he any other time?" I asked.

"Very eager," Ty answered. "He's very willing to learn and he'll do almost anything you set in front of him. He's just so spirited and independent; he shows no interest at all in joining up."

Suddenly, Fire shoved Ty from behind with his head. Ty stumbled forward into the fence, coming within inches of me. Our eyes locked. I blushed and stepped back, breaking our eye contact. Ty cleared his throat and clipped a lead line to Fire's halter. I opened the gate for them.

"So," Ty said as he led Fire through the gate. "Joni told me that you were going to try to work with Apollo. How did that go?"

"Well, I started to, but then..." I started to say, unsure of how much I should say. I didn't want to start another fight with Ty. "I got distracted."

Ty gave me a look, saying he didn't understand. He knew that nothing could distract me from a horse who needed my help.

I breathed out sigh, realizing that Ty wasn't going to let it go until I told him. "Heather," I elaborated. "She came over and basically said that I couldn't handle Apollo-"

"Amy, don't," Ty interrupted me as he walked ahead of me with Fire.

I hurried to block his path. "Don't want?" I questioned him, stopping him in his tracks. Fire snorted in surprise.

"Amy, she's hurt," Ty told her matter-of-factly. "You broke up her wedding. She is devastated, and going through a lot. She doesn't need you going after her."

I took a step back in surprise, he actually thought I was the one verbally attacking Heather. It took me a minute to find my voice. "I know what I did was wrong, I regret that people got hurt." Amy protested. "But I did not go after her, she came to me."

"Just stay away from her, Amy," Ty said quietly.

"What about me?" I asked, my voice quiet as well. "You say Heather is hurt, but what about me? The way you left yesterday, what you accused me of? You made me feel like a whore, like someone who doesn't care about anybody else, except what she wants!" My voice had gotten louder and tears had filled my eyes. They started to trickle down my face, but I wiped them away hastily away.

"Amy, what do you want me to say?!" Ty exclaimed and then put his hand on Fire's neck to calm him down, since the colt was starting to get agitated with all the yelling. "That I'm sorry and I still love you? Fine, I still love you and I want to be with you, but it's complicated."

"Why is it complicated?" I asked. "Is it Alfredo? Because it's over, I'm going to tell him as soon as he gets back. I don't love him the way I love you."

"Heather's pregnant," Ty suddenly blurted out.

I was caught off-guard, I didn't know what to say. Ty turned back around and put Fire back into the round pen. He leaned on the gate, head in hands. I walked over to him slowly.

"Are you sure? How long have you known?" I asked him. Ty turned around to face me.

"Heather told me last night when I went to see her," Ty answered. "She found out a few days before the wedding and she was going to surprise me on our honeymoon. She showed me the test, she had even went to the doctor and he confirmed it. Heather's pregnant."

"Is it even yours?" I stuttered. I could feel the sinking weight pulling me down, threatening to consume me. It couldn't be true, Heather couldn't be pregnant with Ty's baby. But Ty wouldn't lie about something like this, just looking at him I could tell how much he's agonized over this.

"Of coarse it's mine," Ty said it like it was a fact. "I'm the only one Heather's been with in that way and she's never cheated on me. She's not that kind of person. The baby is mine."

"What are you going to do?" I asked again. I couldn't look him in the eyes. "Are you getting back together with her?"

"I don't know," Ty admitted, sighing. "I want to be there for her and the baby, but I don't know what to do after that. I can't be with Heather, not when... The baby comes first, I just have to figure everything else out."

"What about us?" This time I did look up to meet his emerald gaze, which was pained. I almost didn't want to hear his answer. "Am I just supposed to stand aside and watch you and Heather raise a child together?"

"Amy, I can't do this right now," Ty said, running a hand through his hair. "I've got enough to think about."

"You're right, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have put all this on you." I apologized. Without thinking, I reached out and took Ty's hand. "If it helps, I think you're going to be a great father." I offered him a small smile and gave his hand a squeeze.

"Thanks Amy," Ty replied.

We lapsed into silence and I stared down at our linked hands. There was nothing else to be said. Heather was pregnant and Ty was going to be a father to his child. I wouldn't be a part of his life, not in a personal way at least. Ty gave my hand one last squeeze before letting go.

"We should get back to work," Ty said. He didn't wait for me to say something, he just walked away. I watched him go, wishing that things were different, wishing that I had never broken up in the first place. Maybe I wouldn't be standing here, on the verge of losing everything I held dear.

XXXXX

Later that day, I was in the feed room preparing the evening feeds. Ty and I had managed to avoid each other the rest of the day. I wasn't sure if that had happened accidentally or purposefully. Even so, I hoped it wouldn't be this way forever. Heartland wouldn't be the same if I couldn't talk to Ty about problem horses. I briefly considered going back to Alfredo and moving to England. But as soon as that thought formed, I dismissed it. I couldn't runaway to England just because I couldn't handle things here. It wouldn't be fair to Alfredo, it wouldn't be fair to myself.

"Hey, Ty, I just wanted..." It was Heather. She peeked inside the feed room and stopped when she realized it was me, not Ty. "Oh, Amy. I was looking for Ty."

"Haven't seen him," I said, glancing at her briefly before continuing to make the feeds.

"I was about to leave, but I can stay and help you with those, if you want?" Heather asked stepping all the way into the room.

"No, really, I'm almost done anyway," I said in a hurry. The last thing I needed or wanted was Heather spending extra time around here. Heather looked pointedly down at the empty hay nets on the floor, waiting to be filled. "Really, I like the quiet peacefulness of the evening. You should go home and get some rest."

"I suppose Ty told you then," Heather replied. I nodded, immediately regretting saying anything. "It came as a total shock when I found out. I mean, I've always wanted kids, but Ty and I have never really discussed it. I wasn't sure how he was going to feel and after that disaster of a wedding, I thought I'd lost him forever. But this baby kept me hoping that Ty would come back to us and he did."

"That baby will be loved by both its' parents," I responded numbly.

"No thanks to you," Heather said sharply. I looked up at her. "If it weren't for you, my baby would have a loving family with married parents. But you came along and ruined that, didn't you?"

"I am not getting into this with you," I told her and picked up a few full buckets. I turned to face her. "I am so sorry for what I did. I am, but you have nothing to worry about. Ty will love that baby and be a wonderful father to him or her. You win, Heather, Ty's yours. I'm out."

I tried to ignore the smug smile on her face as I walked to the feed room door. Instead of leaving, I stopped right next to her and leaned toward her to whisper in her ear, "But if it turns out that you're lying to him, I will make you pay."

I didn't wait for Heather's response. Brushing past her, I left the feed room, but I thought I saw her smile start to slip from her features. Whether she was telling the truth or not, I had rattled her. As I started to distribute the feeds, I vowed to make sure that Ty got his family. Even if I wasn't a part of it.

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**A/N: **Alright, let me hear all the screams and protests. Go ahead, I'll give you all a minute to let it all out...Ok, minute is up. Please tell what you thought in a review.


	5. Alfredo's Back

**A/N: **This chapter is a little late, I meant to have it up in December, but this chapter took longer than I thought. There's a bit of fluff at the beginning, but it picks up at the end of the chapter. Happy New Year, everybody!

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**Chapter Five**

The week passed by in a blur, Heather and I kept our distance from each other; only speaking when it was absolutely necessary. Things were still a little awkward between Ty and I, but at least we were talking. Lou and Scott had set up a bed in my old room for me until the baby was born. Scott also got me into his vet clinic and I'm working there part-time, so I can continue to work at Heartland.

I've also been working with Apollo everyday, making a little progress each day. I could now go into his stall and do a t-touch session with him. He was still sensitive around his head, but that was to be expected. Ty was also working with Ebony Fire every day too. The colt was learning a lot, but he still showed no interest in working with Ty as a partner. Everything was almost back to normal. It was just that I couldn't get too comfortable, because I knew this was only the calm before the storm. Alfredo was due back any day now and when he did arrive, I would have to tell him I couldn't be with him anymore. I was dreading it, but I had to do it.

The summer was just beginning to pick up its' pace; going up to eighty-five degrees by ten o'clock in the morning. I was walking to the back paddock with a small halter in my hands. It was for Holly's pony, Nickel. He was an almost exact lookalike to Sugarfoot, who'd passed away two years prior. Holly had been begging me for a riding lesson since I've been back, and now I'm finally obliging.

"Aunt Amy, wait!"

I turned in time to see the aforementioned four-year-old running toward me, two matching blonde braids flying behind her. She skidded to a stop in front of me, looking up at me with those big, blue eyes and a big grin on her face.

"I'm allll ready!" Holly said, excitedly. She spread her arms out wide. "Do you like my outfit?"

I looked her up and down. She was wearing brown, child-size jodhpurs, tucked into black paddock boots and a white tank top with a closeup picture of a brown horse on it. She was also holding a turquoise blue helmet with silver stars all over it.

"You look like a real equestrian," I told her. Holly stared at me like I had just spoken Spanish. I quickly corrected myself, "Like a real cowgirl."

Holly beamed and swung her arms from side to side.

"Let's go get your pony," I said handing her the halter and continued to walk to the back paddock. Holly hurried to walk next to me. "I think he's been missing you."

"Really? Nickel!" Holly called as we approached the paddock. I laughed as two horses' heads shot up in the air; the chestnut shetland and the lanky dark roan. "They heard me!"

"You bet they did," I replied. I unlatched the gate, let Holly and me through, and closed the gate behind us. The two horses me us halfway; Spindleberry thrusted his nose in my face begging for a scratch. I gave him a quick rub and then turned my attention back to Holly and Nickel, who was standing quietly beside Spindle. Holly was slowly making her way to the pony.

"There you go, make sure you stand next to his head," I reminded her.

Holly nodded and moved to stand next to the pony's shoulder. She held the halter in front of the pony's face and Nickel stretched his nose toward the halter, helping the little girl out. The halter was slowing inching up Nickel's head. Holly got one ear in the headstall, but the other one got pinned underneath the strap. Showing his discomfort, Nickel tossed his head, the halter flying off toward the ground. I started to walk over and pick it up, but Holly beat me to it.

"IgotitIgotitIgotit!" Holly exclaimed, picking up the halter. She went back to Nickel, speaking to him quietly. "I'm sorry, Nickel. I'll be careful this time." I smiled at the four-year-old interacting with her pony, caring about his safety and well-being.

Five minutes later, we entered the barn with a haltered Nickel. The sound of our footsteps on the concrete made the few horses still in their stalls bring their heads over their stall doors to see who it was. Holly stopped so suddenly I almost fell right over her. She looked up at me.

"I forget where to go," Holly said.

"Right here is good," I told her reaching for a crosstie on the wall. Holly got the other crosstie on the opposite wall and hooked it to Nickel's halter. "Okay, go get your grooming box and get this pony brushed. I'll go get your tack."

"Okay," Holly scampered off to the tack room. She returned five seconds later with a small, pale pink grooming box with a colorful array of brushes. "Okay, Nickel, ready to be boo-tee-full?" Nickel was watching her with pricked ears.

"I'll only be a few feet away, Holly," I told the little girl as I started walking to the tack room. "Just holler if you need anything." Holly made a sound that sounded like an 'okay' and kept brushing.

When I entered the tack room, the smell of leather and saddle soap hit me. Saddle racks lined the back wall with wooden tack trunks underneath them. Bridles and halters hung to my right. I reached for Nickel's small leather bridle, almost tripping on something when I did. I looked down and saw a light blue helmet on the floor by my boot. Holly must have dropped it when she was in here. I picked up the helmet and the bridle and was just about to pick up Nickel's saddle when my phone rang in my pocket.

"Hello?" I said into the phone.

"Amy, it's me," It was Alfredo.

My heart dropped. "Oh, hi." I didn't know what else to say.

"I just wanted to call and tell you that my plane just landed," Alfredo said. "I'm about two hours away from Heartland. I'll take a bus and be there soon."

"So you're here?" I repeated.

"That's what I just said, Amy," Alfredo laughed, then he sobered up. "I'm anxious to see you. We haven't talked since before I left and I want to know why you didn't come with me."

"Yeah, we have a lot to talk about when you get here," I told him, already dreading what I had to say to him.

"Okay, I'll see you then," Alfredo said. "I love you."

"I love you too," I whispered, not exactly sure why I just said that. But it was the truth; I did love Alfredo, just not in the same way I loved Ty. We hung up after that and clutched the phone to my chest, my eyes closed. I didn't know how I was going to do this.

Eventually, I remembered Holly, opened my eyes and gathered up her tack. Spending time with my niece was the perfect way to get my mind off of my troubles. When I came back to her, Holly was vigorously trying to comb through Nickel's thick mane. It didn't look like she was getting that far.

"Did you clean his hooves yet?" I asked her, setting the tack down on the ground.

"Yup, and their allll clean now," Holly answered and then handed me the red comb she'd been using. "His mane is too hard."

I took the comb from her and said, "That's okay, we can tack Nickel up now." I put the comb back in the grooming box and handed Holly the white, square saddle pad. She took it and put it on Nickel's back with a flourish.

"You do the saddle, it's too big for me," Holly said when I picked up the small, leather saddle.

I smiled, remembering her first encounter with the saddle; each time she had attempted to put it on Nickel's back, the saddle would make it halfway before falling to the ground. Anyway, I put the saddle on Nickel and reached for the girth lying on top of it.

"IdoitIdoit!" Holly told me, snatching the girth before I could pick it up. I stepped back, palms upturned, giving the little girl space to work.

Finally, Nickel was all tacked up and I was walking next to Holly as she led the pony to the schooling ring. When we got there, I saw Ty down at one end lunging a tacked up Fire. He waved at me with his free hand when he saw me and I returned a wave of my own. I opened the gate and let Holly lead Nickel in first before going in myself and closing the gate.

"That horse is BIIIGG," Holly said staring at the tall, black thoroughbred. "I hope he doesn't run me and Nickel over."

"Don't worry, we'll stay on this end of the ring out of his way," I reassured her. I held Nickel and led him over to the mounting block while Holly buckled her helmet on. Then she came over and, without me telling her, she checked the girth and pulled the stirrups down.

"Great job," I told her. "You can get on now."

Holly climbed the mounting block, picked up the reins and swung her leg over Nickel's back. The pony snorted as Holly gathered up her reins and I helped her get her feet in the stirrups.

"Walk on!" Holly said loudly, when she was ready. She gave Nickel a nudge on his sides with her heels. I let go when Nickel started walking.

"Good girl, Holly," I said. "Sit up straight and look where you want to go."

Nickel plodded along the fence rail with his head lowered. Holly was looking in between Nickel's ears, her hands up off the saddle and she was smiling ear to ear. She loved being on a horse, especially when she was riding by herself.

"Hey, Holly!" Ty called from the other side of the ring. We both looked over and I saw that he had taken the lunge line off Fire and was now putting on a helmet. "Can I ride with you?"

"Yesss!" Holly squealed almost dropping her reins.

I stepped towards Nickel when the pony started to quicken his pace with the extra rein. "Hold on to your pony, he's ready to go." I warned Holly.

"I know," Holly said, fixing her reins so that they were even again. "Please Uncle Ty!"

"Okay!" Ty laughed swinging into Fire's saddle. The colt pranced in place, stretching his nose toward Nickel and Holly. He turn Fire around and urged him into into a walk. As Ty rode, I couldn't help but stare. Ty sat tall and straight, but relaxed in the saddle and he moved with the horse. His hands were low and held the reins firmly, not chokingly tight. With barely any signal at all, Fire broke into a trot. It was the perfect picture of horse and rider working together; except they weren't, together I mean. Fire's movements were robotic and disconnected from Ty. He was also behind the bit, his nose tucked all the way to his chest, his ears also flopped to the sides. The colt's whole body language screamed disinterested.

"No, Nickel, no!" came Holly's cry.

I broke my gaze away from Ty and looked for the pair. They were over by the fence and it took me a second to realize what was wrong. Nickel had his head in between the fence slats and was eating the grass on the other side. Holly was leaning forward on his neck, trying to pull his head up.

I hurried over to them. "You have to sit up, Holly," I instructed her. "This isn't doing anything."

Holly looked at me; her eyes were big and round, on the verge of tears. "I can't, he's too strong!" she cried.

"Yes, you can," I encouraged Holly, pushing her up gently until she was sitting back in the saddle. I put my hands over top hers as she gripped the reins. "Pull back with steady pressure." Slowly, I pushed Holly's clenched fists towards her hips. She sniffled.

"Back," Holly whimpered.

Nickel shook his head against the pressure, but I kept Holly's hands where they were. When the pony took one step back backward, I let go, but Holly kept her hands where they were. With another toss of his head, Nickel took a few more steps backward, snorting his annoyance. When Holly released the pressure on the rein, she was smiling again.

"I did it!" Holly exclaimed. She held the reins in one hand while she wiped tears out of her eyes with the other.

"I knew you could," I said.

Holly beamed.

"Great job, Holly," Ty said when he drew up beside Nickel. He leaned down to give her a high-five. Holly slapped his hand as hard as she could and Ty pretended that it hurt. I smiled, catching Ty's eye. He smiled back at me.

Then I got an idea. "Hey, Holly, do you want to play follow the leader on horseback?" I asked Holly.

"Sounds like fun!" Holly exclaimed. "How do you play?"

"Well, you have to follow the leader and do whatever they do, like trot in a circle or take five steps backward," I explained to her. "Ty, will start as the leader."

"Okay, but you have to play too, Aunt Amy," Holly said.

"I can't, I don't have a horse," I felt the need to point out.

"So, go get one silly," Holly replied, giggling.

"Yeah, Spindleberry could use the exercise," Ty agreed, nodding his head in encouragement. "Go on, we'll wait right here."

I bit my lip and then said, "Okay, I'll be right back." I jogged out of the arena to go get Spindleberry. My stomach was full of butterflies as I walked to the back paddock. I couldn't remember the last time I had felt this excited and it was just riding with a four-year-old and Ty. But things were going back to normal between the two of us and I've missed it. If we could get back to that friendship, then I would be able to deal with Heather and the baby. I just couldn't lose Ty completely.

** /X/**

Time flew by when I was in the arena with Ty and Holly. There was so much laughing, even the horses caught our excitement. Fire especially, he wasn't the same robotic horse he was before. He actually competed with the other two horses, but he listened intently to Ty. It almost seemed like he was trying to please Ty.

Holly had a blast too. She even got a chance to be the leader, which she may have had too much fun with it. She even jumped a ground pole, though for Nickel it was more like a skip, but Holly was proud of herself nonetheless. Spindleberry was full of energy, but he responded to all my aids like I've ridden him everyday. It felt good to just let go and have fun, not worry about anything, just be in the moment.

Afterwards, we all went on a trail ride to cool the horses down. Holly mostly rode between Ty and I and she couldn't stop smiling. I think she was just happy to be riding with the 'big riders'. Spindle and Fire were getting along great also; they kept turning their noses in towards each other. Poor Nickel would nip at either one of them, when one got too close.

"Can we go on a trail ride everyday?" Holly asked when we clattered back into Heartland.

Ty laughed, "We would love to trail ride everyday, Holly, but we always have a lot of work to do first. And there's usually not enough time in the day."

"Ooohhh," Holly whined.

As we approached the barn, two figures appeared at the entrance. One was Lou and she pointed in our direction. The guy turned in our direction and my heartbeat quickened, recognizing him instantly. His bronze skin and black hair, and he was wearing jeans and a red polo shirt, it was Alfredo. I must have made some kind noise because Ty looked at me quickly. I averted my gaze.

"Mommy!" Holly squealed. She dismounted off of Nickel and started hurrying to Lou, dragging the pony behind her. "Me and Nickel went in the woods and it was lots of fun!"

"Sounds like it," Lou said. "Let's go untack Nickel." She led Holly inside the barn while giving me a pointed look and nodded toward Alfredo.

I took a deep breath and dismounted Spindleberry. I was in the process of running my stirrups up when I felt a presence behind me. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Ty. He reached for Spindle's reins.

"I'll take care of him for you," Ty said quietly.

I smiled at him gratefully and handed over Spindle's reins. With a slight nod toward Alfredo, Ty clucked to the horses to take them away. I watched him lead the two horses inside the barn before turning to face Alfredo. He had moved closer, his hands in his pockets. "How was England?" I asked, unsure of how to start.

"Good," Alfredo smiled, coming closer to me. "Impala is settling in great and we have two new polo prospects. The rescue barn is up and ready for use, when you're ready." He leaned in for a kiss, but I quickly ducked away.

"About the stable...um," I tried to say.

"Are you having second thoughts?" he asked me.

"I still think it's a good idea, it's just that things have changed," I answered. Alfredo stared at me like I didn't make any sense. I took a deep breath and continued, "The day I was supposed to meet you at the airport, I went to Ty's wedding, just to say goodbye."

"Oh, yeah, I'll have to give the happy couple my congratulations," Alfredo interjected. He started walking to the barn. "Ty's in the barn, right?"

I put my hand on Alfredo's arm, stopping him. "They didn't go through with it," I said. "The wedding didn't happen."

"Oh? Cold feet?" Alfredo asked.

"Not exactly," I replied. Alfredo looked at me expectantly. "It was more like someone stopped it from happening. Someone like me."

"You stopped the wedding?!" Alfredo repeated incredulously. His eyes were wide with shock and then his face changed to hurt and betrayal as he took in the meaning of my words. "Why would you do something like that?"

"I didn't plan to stop the wedding, it just happened," I felt myself hurrying to get the words out before Alfredo said anything else. "I don't know how or why. It just did."

"Something like that doesn't just happen, Amy," Alfredo said. "Are you still harboring feelings for the guy?"

I didn't say anything. What could I say, that I still loved Ty and probably always will? I couldn't hurt Alfredo like that, I'd already hurt him too much.

"Are you and Ty getting back together?" Alfredo asked.

"No," I answered, deflated, looking down at my boots. "Ty's going to be a father and he wants to be a part of his child's life."

"Then, what are you doing?" Alfredo questioned.

I looked up at him, confused, "What?"

"What are still doing here, then?" Alfredo clarified. "It sounds like Ty is moving on with someone else. What are you going to do? Stay here at Heartland and pine for what you can't have?"

"No—I don't know," I admitted.

"Then come to England with me," Alfredo said. "Spread Heartland's ways to other places in the world. We can still do what we planned as long as you still love me."

"Of coarse I love you," I replied weakly. I could feel tears burning at the edge of my vision and I blinked rapidly to keep them at bay. "It's just..."

"Just what?"

I stayed silent, turning my face away so that he wouldn't see my tears. But he did. Alfredo came over to me and didn't stop until he was directly in front of me. I felt him put his hand under my chin and gently lifted it up so that I was looking into his soft brown eyes.

"I don't have to leave until tomorrow," Alfredo whispered. "You can think it over tonight and let me know your decision tomorrow." He ran his hand down my face, brushing strands of hair behind my ear.

I nodded, unable to speak.

"I hope you make the right decision for yourself," he added. "Come here." He pulled me into his arms and I let him, wrapping my arms around his neck. I didn't know what I was going to do. Would I really be okay watching Ty and Heather raise a family together? No, I wouldn't. But what was my other option; going away with Alfredo. If I did go to England with Alfredo, I would be lying to him and myself. So, what am I supposed to do? There was only one thing I could think of.

I had to talk to Ty.

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**A/N: ** Please review. :)


	6. Ultimatum

**A/N:** I'm not going to say that much. I just want to thank everyone who have read/liked/reviewed this story. It makes me feel good that people actually like what I write. So, please keep reading and keep reviewing!

**Disclaimer:** All characters/settings/etc belong to the author of the Heartland books, Lauren Brooke. Not me. The song lyrics belong to Kelly Clarkson.

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**Chapter Six**

By evening, I was exhausted. But I couldn't relax yet, I still had to talk to Ty. I had to know where I stood with him. If I could truly move on with Alfredo, I had to be sure there was nothing left between Ty and I. We both had been busy for the rest of the day and hadn't had a chance to talk before, but I hoped to catch him before he left for the night.

I was walking down the barn aisle, checking on the horses one last time for the night. They were all either finishing up their grain or munching on their hay. All the sounds and the sweet smell of hay brought a calming peace over me, it almost made me forget what I was going to do. Almost. I must not have been paying attention to see the stall door ahead of me open. I crashed headlong into Ty when he came out of the stall.

"Oh, sorry," we both said and then stepped back, laughing. I watched Ty latch the stall door closed, thinking this was it. It was now or never.

"I was actually looking for you," I started. "I was hoping we could talk before you left."

"Sure," Ty replied, turning around to face me. He crossed his arms over his chest. "What's up?"

"Well, when Alfredo and I were talking this afternoon, he mentioned he had to leave tomorrow morning," I explained. I looked up and met his eyes. "And he wants me to go with him."

Ty exhaled slowly before he asked, "Are you going?"

I answered honestly, "I guess that depends on us."

"Amy," Ty sighed, uncrossing his arms and rubbing a hand over his face. "Don't start. I told you, I need time."

"I know and I respect that, but..." I told him, hurrying to get the words out before he walked away. "Alfredo wants me to go with him tomorrow and I told him I would think about it."

"Amy, what are saying?" Ty asked, taking a step closer to me.

"I'm saying that I want to know where we stand," I said. "I want to know that we have a future, if not...if not then I'm going to go with Alfredo to England."

"Amy, I don't like ultimatums," Ty replied. I saw him trying to hold back his anger; he didn't want to fight. It was then that I noticed the lines around his eyes and the shadows under them from lack of sleep. It dawned on me just how much all this was effecting him.

I don't mean to make it sound that way," I softened. Then, it seemed like everything just started spewing out of me. I couldn't stop it. "It's just that I can't step aside and watch you have a family with someone else. I won't. I love you, Ty, and I want to be with you for the rest of my life. I made that decision when I stopped your wedding. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Alfredo. I hadn't really thought everything through and people got hurt because of it..." I broke off, realizing that I was rambling.

"Amy,"

That's all he said before he closed the distance between us, his hands slipping behind my neck, and he kissed me. I responded immediately, kissing him back with every fiber of my being. I wanted to show him just how much he meant to me. But Ty pulled back first.

"Amy, I love you too," Ty said, leaning his forehead against mine. He touched his lips briefly to mine again. "But I have to think of the baby. I have to put its' needs in front of of my own. It's who I am. I have to be part of my child's life."

_You didn't let me down_

_You didn't tear me apart_

_You just opened my eyes, while breaking my heart_

_You didn't do it for me_

_I'm not as dumb as you think_

_You just made me cry, while claiming that you love me_

I pulled away from Ty, and turned my back on him, staring into the stall across the aisle. "And you can't do that and be with me?" I asked him, feeling tears build at the back of my eyes. He was choosing her over me.

"I'm just afraid that if go back to you, Heather will run away and I'll never see the baby," Ty confessed.

I turned back around to face him. He looked scared and worried. "She wouldn't do that, would she?"

Ty nodded, "She would. She told me that she could raise the baby on her own without me. I told her that I wanted to be involved and she didn't object." He looked at me. "Amy, I'm afraid of what she could do. I have to do this."

"So, that's it then? We're over?" I questioned, tears burning my eyes.

"It doesn't have to be," Ty replied, hesitantly taking my hand. "If you can just wait until everything calms down and then we can see."

"Wait? What am I supposed to do until then?" I questioned him, taking my hand from his. "Work with the horses and pretend like my heart isn't breaking. Ty, you loved Heather enough to marry her and now she's carrying your baby. Can you honestly tell me that you won't go back to her?"

"Amy, yes I loved Heather," Ty said, taking a step closer to me. I didn't move. "But I'm _in love_ with you."

"Then why can't we just be together right now?" I pressed him. "Everything else will work itself out."

Ty shook his head in frustration. I could see how hard this was for him. "I can't, Amy, not right now." He pleaded with me to understand and I did. But that only made what I had to do that much harder.

_Your love feels different_

_It's like a blow to the head,_

_With your compliments_

"Then I have to leave," I choked out and tears spilled down my cheeks. "I have to. I'm leaving tomorrow with Alfredo."

"Amy, please," Ty begged, grabbing my arm. I looked at him, seeing his eyes welling up with tears. "I love you."

_Your love hurts deeper_

_It's like a brick in the sea,_

_And I'm drowning with it_

"I love you more than anything, Ty," I told him. "I always will, but I can't put my life on hold just so you can figure things out. That's not who I am. And what if you decide to go back to Heather, what will I do then? I can't live my life on maybes."

Ty nodded. We stood in silence after that, Ty's grip on my arm was loosening. Then, like two magnets, we were pulled together until we were only inches apart. I hesitated and then pressed my lips to his. The kiss was soft and slow, both of us knowing it would be our last. When we finally pulled apart, we both had tears streaming down our faces.

"Goodbye Ty," I whispered, running my hand down the side of his face.

"Goodbye Amy," Ty whispered back, his voice was so low I could barely hear him. I took his hand and put something in it, then covered it with his fingers. I gave him a small smile through my tears and dropped his hand.

_You didn't let me down_

_You didn't tear me apart_

_You just opened my eyes, while breaking my heart_

_You didn't do it for me_

_I'm not as dumb as you think_

_You just made me cry, while claiming that you love me_

Though everything inside me was screaming not to, I turned around and started walking down the barn aisle. Ty didn't try and stop me and I didn't turn back around. By the time I stepped outside, I wanted to run back to Ty, fling myself into his arms and never let go. But I didn't. Instead, I started walking to the house, facing the bitter truth. Ty and I were officially over.

**/X/**

Heather walked into her house and tossed her keys on a side table. "Mom! I'm home!" she called out to the seemingly empty house. "Is anybody here?" She placed her handbag on the table as well.

"I'm in here!" came her mother's voice from the direction of the living room.

Heather walked down the hallway and turned right at the end, emerging into the pale blue living room. Mrs. Middleton was sitting on the couch reading a book from her book club. She glanced up when Heather came in and held up her finger, signaling she needed a moment to finish the page she was on. Stepping over the black Labrador who was sprawled out in front of the sofa, Heather walked over and sat down next to her mother.

"How is it?" Heather asked when her mother put the book down on the coffee table.

"Painfully predictable," Mrs. Middleton sighed. "It is beyond me why Olivia insists on reading these murder mysteries. They're all dreadfully the same." She waved a hand in the air. "Enough of that, how are you doing? Has Ty called you?"

Heather shook her head. "He said he needed time to think," she said. "I'm trying to be patient, but it's hard. I want to move on to the next phase of my life."

Mrs. Middleton put an arm around her daughter and squeezed her tightly. "I know, sweetie," she replied. "But I have to admit, I'm surprised Ty came back at all. I mean, after he ran off during the wedding with that girl, I didn't think we would see him again. You never told me what happened when Ty came to see you. What changed his mind?"

Heather leaned down and scratched the dog's head, avoiding her mother's steady gaze. "We just talked and he realized that he'd made a mistake." She hated lying to her mother, but she couldn't tell her the truth. Anyway, if things turned out the way they should, then soon she wouldn't be lying anymore to anyone.

"Then have faith, sweetie," Mrs. Middleton told her daughter and Heather looked up at her. "Ty will come back to you. He loves you, he gave you that ring as proof."

Just as she said that, Heather's smartphone buzzed with a new text message. Heather pulled out her phone and looked at it. It was from Ty.

**Let's talk,** it read.

Heather smiled. Her plan had worked; Ty was coming back to her. She quickly typed out a response.

**Tonight, 7:00 cafe?**

Two minutes passed without another text and Heather got worried that Ty had changed his mind. Then, her phone chimed with a new text and relief flooded through her.

**I'll be there.**

"Good news?" Mrs. Middleton asked her daughter, leaning over to look at the phone in Heather's hands. Heather just smiled, knowing Ty was finally hers again.

**/X/**

Alfredo lay on the bed of his hotel room, watching an urban crime drama on TV. He was trying to keep his mind occupied and not on the possibility of going back to England alone. It was hard though. The TV program offered no help; the police were running in circles trying to find one culprit, while the bigger threat was right under their noses. It was all so obvious, Alfredo wanted to throw something big at the TV just to make it stop. Instead, he opted for changing the channel.

The next channel was playing _The Notebook_ and he immediately clicked through to the next one. He wasn't in the mood to watch true love prevail over everything. Not when he was on the verge of losing everything. Alfredo kept flipping through the channels until he finally just gave up and turned the TV off. He stared at his iphone sitting on the bedside table, contemplating picking it up and calling Amy. But a knock on the door saved him from making a possible mistake.

"Room service!"

Alfredo got up and answered the door. The young, male attendant stood in his pressed uniform pushing a cart filled with entrees and desserts.

"Tea and a slice of apple pie?" the attendant asked him.

Alfredo nodded, "You can just put it on the table," he said, stepping aside so that the boy could push the cart in. While the attendant placed his order on the table, Alfredo pulled out some money from his wallet and counted out a reasonable tip. When the boy finished, Alfredo him the money.

"Thank you, sir," the attendant accepted the money and started to push the cart out of the room. Alfredo followed him and closed the door behind him.

Alfredo had just stirred and taken a sip of his tea when his iphone started ringing from the bedside table. He hurried to pick it up and his heart quickened a bit when he saw that it was Amy.

"Hey, Amy," he greeted, answering his phone.

"Hi, um, I wanted to tell you that I've made up my mind," came Amy's voice sounding hesitant. Alfredo held his breath, waiting to hear her decision. Then it came. "What time is our flight tomorrow?"

Alfredo let out his breath slowly. "You're coming with me?" he asked in disbelief. He wasn't sure of what she just said; he had thought she wasn't going to pick him.

"Well, yeah," Amy answered, then her voice got nervous. "Do you still want me to come?"

"Of course I do," Alfredo said automatically. "The plane leaves at eight-fifteen and you don't have to worry about a ticket, I already bought you one."

"But how-?"

"I was hoping," Alfredo told her, his voice suddenly very serious. "I was starting to think you were going to stay. Are you sure this is what you want?"

"Yes," Amy said. At first, she sounded hesitant, but when she continued her voice grew more and more confident. "Yes, I'm sure. I want to have a life with you."

"Okay," There was a pause.

"I should go," Amy spoke. "I still have some things to get together. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow," he hesitated and then he added, "Oh, Amy, I love you."

Amy's voice was quiet when she said, "I love you too."

They hung up after that and Alfredo put his phone down with a smile on his face. Amy was coming to England with him, they were going to have the life they planned. Bubbling with happiness, Alfredo picked up his tea and dessert from the table and carried them to the bed. Relaxing on the bed, he turned the TV back on and flipped back to _The Notebook_. He started eating his apple pie, feeling on top of the world. Alfredo had gotten everything he'd ever wanted, and he couldn't see anything changing that.

**/X/**

Ty pushed open the door to the small cafe and walked inside. He searched around and found Heather sitting at a table near the back. Her back was to him, so she hadn't seen him yet. Ty froze; he thought about going back out the door and leaving. Back to his place to think about this some more. It was tempting. But, no, he had already made his decision. Actually, it was Amy who made the decision for him. Ty shook his head, he didn't want to think about Amy. This was about Heather and the baby. Amy wasn't going to be in his life anymore; she made her choice.

"Can I help you?"

Ty looked up, startled. A young waitress stood in front of him, looking at him curiously. Her rich-brown hair was pulled into a ponytail with some purple-streaked hair framing her face. She wore a black apron over her clothes and she held a coffeepot in her left hand.

Ty shook his head. "No, um, my fia—she's sitting over there," Ty stammered, pointing to where Heather was sitting.

"Okay," the waitress said and ambled over to another table.

Ty took a deep breath and walked over to Heather. As he approached, Ty realized that she was on the phone. Ty slowed his steps, not wanting to interrupt her, but also, unwillingly, catching a few snippets of her conversation.

"...No, he doesn't know...I haven't told him, but..." Heather was saying. Ty stopped. He got the feeling that he was the 'he' Heather was referring to. Ty leaned in closer to hear more. "I won't have to, in a few days everything will be the way it's supposed to be."

Ty had heard enough. He stepped forward, and put his hand on Heather's shoulder, letting her know that he was here. Heather looked up at him and smiled. She hurriedly said goodbye to whoever she was talking to and hung up the phone.

"I'm glad you came," Heather smiled, putting her phone down on the table. Ty didn't say anything, he just pulled out a chair across from Heather and sat down. "Do you want to order some coffee or anything?" She gestured to the menu.

"No, I'm fine," Ty shook his head, and then gestured to her phone. "What was that about?"

Heather looked confused for a minute and then she seemed to remember the phone call. "Oh, that. It was just my friend, Annie, you've met her. We were just talking." she replied.

"I heard what you said, Heather," Ty confessed. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

Heather looked like a deer caught in headlights; wide-eyed and frozen. It confirmed Ty's suspicions. "Alright, you're right. I haven't been completely honest with you," she admitted. "Ty, I'm not pregnant."

"What?" Ty asked, confused. "I don't understand. You showed me the pregnancy test, it was positive."

Heather nodded. "The doctor said the test was probably defective," she explained, and then covered her face with her hands. "She told me that I had never been pregnant at all."

"Why didn't you just tell me?" Ty asked her softly.

"Because I was scared of losing you!" Heather cried, looking at him. She lowered her voice when a few people turned to look at them. "When you left me at the alter, I was devastated. But the baby kept me from giving up completely. Then, when I went to the doctors only to find out that there was never a baby. I was scared. I didn't want to lose you!"

"Why didn't you _tell_ me?" Ty asked again. "I was going to find out eventually. What did you have to gain from hiding the truth from me, unless...unless you were hoping I would never find out."

Heather looked down at the table, proving his point further.

"You tried to trick me?!" Ty concluded in disbelief. "Why? So, I would marry you?"

"Yes, it's true! I tricked you," Heather admitted. "But Ty that's what we wanted, remember? At least, before _she_ intervened. I still love you, Ty, that hasn't changed. Has it for you?"

Ty didn't say anything. He just sat there, staring past Heather. Ty fingered the claddagh ring that was nestled inside his pocket.

"Ty, please, just don't tell me we're over," Heather begged. She reached across the table and took Ty's hand. When he didn't pull back, she laced he fingers with his.

Ty didn't know what to say. He had come here tonight to tell Heather he'll be with her one hundred percent. To be a father to his child. Now, Heather was telling him that there was no baby, he wasn't going to be a father. A part of him was relieved, but the other part was disappointed. He had started to get use to the idea of a baby of his own. He was ready to be a father. But did that mean he wanted to give it another try with Heather? He didn't know.

* * *

**A/N:** Please Review!


	7. Before It's Too Late

**A/N: **I'm sorry for the long wait, I'm really trying to update faster. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter. :) Song lyrics belong to Taylor Swift.

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

_~I am not the kind of girl, who should be barging in on a white vail occasion~_

_~But you, are not the kind of boy, who should be marrying the wrong girl~_

I woke up the next morning feeling like this was the beginning of my new life. After today, I would be waking up in England at my new stable and with my future husband. I lay there for a moment, thinking it all through. Last night, I wasn't sure how I was going to feel today, but now I could feel excitement stirring in the pit of my stomach. I was happy about my decision, as long as I didn't think about him.

Checking my phone for the time, it was seven o'clock, I got up out of bed. I had about an hour to get to the airport and I wanted to see some of the horses before I left. Grabbing some clothes, I went to the bathroom to take a quick shower. It took about five minutes, afterwords, dressed in jean shorts and a red fitted t-shirt, I went downstairs to get some breakfast. The kitchen was empty, everybody must be sleeping in today.

I poured myself a bowl of cereal and ate it standing up, wanting to see the horses before I left. I also wanted to talk to Joni about continuing Apollo's treatment when I was gone. When I finished, I went outside. A cool morning breeze welcomed me as I stepped outside. Joni's car was here, so the horses were all fed. Deciding to see Sundance first, I started walking toward the ponies' pasture.

**X**

It was about seven-thirty when I was back inside the kitchen. Grandpa and Nancy were sitting at the kitchen table and Holly had decided to permanently attach herself to me. As soon as I had walked through the door, Holly had launched herself at me and when I'd tried to put her down she'd only gripped me tighter. It was obvious she heard that I was leaving and didn't want me to leave.

"Are you sure you don't want someone to drive you to the airport?" Lou asked me for about the tenth time.

"Yeah, I'm sure," I answered, shifting Holly over. "I'd rather say all my goodbyes here." I looked around the kitchen at my family. Lou was standing next to Scott, who was sitting at the table with Grandpa and Nancy. Georgia was sitting on the floor with a stuffed, white bunny in her hand. I had said goodbye to Joni in the barn, so she was still outside. The only other person who wasn't here was Ty. A part of me was glad he wasn't here; I don't think I would be able to leave if he was.

"Okay, Holly, Amy has to leave now," Lou told her daughter, reaching for her.

"Aunt Amy, you can't go," Holly protested, looking at me with her big, blue eyes. "Who's gonna teach me t-touch and join-up?"

I hesitated, not knowing what to say to my little niece. "Hey, I'm still going to come back and visit and when I do, I'll teach you everything I know about horses," I told her. "Plus, Ty will be here and he'll teach you anything you want to know."

"Okay, but it won't be the same without you," Holly said and gave me one last hug. I bit my lip as I returned her hug. I will not cry, I had to keep it together. She let me put her down after that. I smiled down at Georgia, who was busy making her bunny hop along the legs of the table.

"Amy, I'm going to miss you," Lou said coming over and giving me a hug. "Take care of yourself." She stepped back and picked up Georgia before the toddler could crawl underneath the table. The one-year-old started to whine and she only got louder when Holly picked up her bunny from the floor. The whine turned into a giggle, however, when Holly started making the bunny nuzzle the toddler's leg.

I smiled at my family, wanting to capture this moment in my head. I wasn't sure when I would be back and I wanted to have something to look back on when I was missing everybody. Picking up my bags, I walked to the door and opened it. I didn't look back as I stepped outside. Taking a deep breath, I started toward my car.

As I walked, I found my gaze wondering to the driveway. Admittedly, I was half-expecting Ty's truck to come down the driveway. As much as a part of me didn't want to say goodbye to him, the other part of me didn't want to leave things the way we had last night. But the truck never appeared. I sighed, it was for the best anyway. I threw my bags in the car and got in, ready to leave.

**X**

By the time I reached the airport, I had begun to get excited about living in England. Just thinking about spreading Heartland's way brings a smile to my face. It was a new adventure; all the horses I would get to help, some even breeds I've never working with before. I would be working with someone who believed in my work and who loved me. Yes, I was excited for this.

I met Alfredo by security and as soon as he saw me, he threw his arms around me and pulled me into a hug. "You don't know how happy I am to see you here," Alfredo whispered in my ear.

"I told you I was coming," I said once he let me go. I bent down to pick up one of my bags, which had fallen to the floor when Alfredo had grabbed me.

"I know, but I couldn't help thinking that you were going to change your mind," Alfredo admitted.

"Well, I haven't changed my mind," I told him. "This is what I want. I love you, Alfredo." Surprisingly, I spoke the truth. There was not a single doubt left in my head. I did love Alfredo and I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.

"You don't know how glad I am to hear you say that," Alfredo smiled. "I love you too, Amy." He took my hand and led me closer to the metal detectors.

After we made it through the security check and checked our bags, Alfredo and I went to the gate we'd be boarding through and settled into some chairs to wait. I looked at my phone, we had about fifteen minutes before the plane started boarding. There were quite a few people sitting around us, who had gotten here earlier. I wondered how many of them were going to England as well. There was a young couple, just like us, sitting a few chairs down chatting excitedly with each other. I noted how they kept brushing hands and legs, like they didn't want to be even an inch away from each other.

"I'm going to get a coffee while we wait, you want one?" Alfredo asked, breaking into my thoughts. I looked over at him, his soft brown eyes gazing at me, always attentive to every detail.

"Yeah, I'll take one," I answered him.

"Okay, the usual?" Alfredo asked. I nodded distractedly, watching a pair of blonde twins looking excitedly out the big window at the airplanes outside. "Okay, I'll be right back." Alfredo got up and started to leave.

"Alfredo, wait," I said, grabbing a hold of Alfredo's arm. He turned and looked at me, a question in his eyes. I licked my lips, hesitating.

Then, I stood up and stepped close to him. Alfredo's eyebrows furrowed as he tried to figure out what I was doing. Without another thought, I pressed my lips to his. Alfredo stood frozen for a moment and then I felt him move his lips against mine. The kiss was just how I remembered. Heat raced across my skin and my heart raced. My arms encircled his neck, my fingers tangling in his hair and Alfredo pulled me closer, his arms around my waist.

"What was that for?" Alfredo asked with a smile, when we pulled apart.

"I just wanted to show you what I really wanted," I smiled back at him.

"Well, I certainly got the message," Alfredo laughed. He leaned in and kissed me again, but this one didn't last as long as the first. "I should go get the coffee before our flight takes off." I nodded, reluctant to let him go, but untangled myself from him anyway. I watched him go, feeling completely content with myself. I smiled to myself as I sat back down in my chair.

**/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/X/**

Ty didn't know what he was doing. When he had woken up this morning, he had just lain in his bed staring up at the ceiling. His mind had been on overload, thinking about everything that had happened in the past week. He'd almost gotten married, found out he was going to be a father, found out he wasn't going to be a father, and now the only girl he had ever truly loved was leaving today. It was all too much.

_Amy is leaving today,_ had kept on repeating like a mantra inside his head. Until he had gotten up, got dressed, and got in his truck. At first, Ty hadn't know where he was going, but now he recognized the signs leading to the airport. He didn't know what he was going to say to Amy when he got there, he just knew he had to get there before she leaves. He just couldn't let Amy get on that plane.

When he arrived at the airport, Ty parked his truck in the first empty parking spot he saw. People turned to stare at him when he burst through the doors, but he didn't care. Ty ran up to the ticket counter, startling the woman behind it with his sudden appearance.

"Has the flight to London left yet?" Ty asked her.

She stared at him and then started clicking something on the keyboard of the computer. Ty rapped his fingers impatiently on the counter as the attendant took her time scrolling through the data on the screen. Finally, she looked up at him. "The plane isn't scheduled to take off for another ten minutes." She smiled at him. "Can I book you a seat, there are still three openings left?"

Ty shook his head and then he was off, bounding through the throng of travelers. It was until he was in the midst of the crowd did he realize, he should have asked which gate the plane was leaving from. He couldn't go back now, though, there wasn't enough time, he'll just have to find it on his own. Ty was trying not to be rude, but he found himself pushing past slow-moving people and he could feel angry glares on his back as he breezed by. Then, Ty's heart sank as he saw what was ahead.

The Security check.

Ty cursed under his breath. First, he tried to just run through it, but a security guard stopped him. "I'm sorry, you can't get through without a ticket?" he told him in a gruff voice. The guard held out his hand as if waiting for Ty to supply a ticket.

"I don't have one," Ty said, then he hurried to explain. "I just have to talk to someone, it's important."

The guard shook his head. "No ticket, no entry." he said. "Now, I need you to step aside."

"Dammit," Ty muttered as he turned around and ran a hand through his hair. He had to see Amy before she got on that plane, but how? The security guard wasn't going to let him through. Moving off to the side, Ty snuck a glance at the guards. There were three of them, each one busy seeing people through the metal detectors.

Ty took a deep breath, he could believe he was actually considering doing what he was about to do. No way had ever thought he would break the rules, but Amy made him do crazy things like that. Run into a storm-ravaged barn, defy airport security, etc. Ty glanced around once more, the officers haven't noticed him yet, they probably thought he'd gone away quietly. Doing it quickly before he lost his nerve, Ty jumped the rope barricade and took off across the crowded airport. He didn't hear a shout or running footsteps, besides his own, that would suggest someone was chasing him, so he assumed no one saw him. But still, Ty didn't stop running until he was clear of the security check station.

Ty stopped and looked around. He had no idea where Amy could be. He decided to ask for directions, but each person he asked either glared at him or simply ignored him. So, Ty was on his own. Picking a direction at random, Ty started walking again, hoping his heart would lead him to Amy.

Ty didn't know how long he'd been walking when he came to a waiting area. He looked around frantically, searching for Amy's familiar brown hair. Then, he saw her, sitting hunched over in one of the hard-plastic chairs. Ty's heart started beating fast in his chest and he hurried over to her.

"Amy," Ty said, putting a hand on her shoulder. The girl looked up at him with brown eyes full of confusion. She looked to be in her mid-twenties, holding a squirming bundle in her arms and she was definitely not Amy. His heart fell. "I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else."

Turning around, Ty felt defeated. He didn't know what else to do. There wasn't enough time to search the whole airport and he wasn't sure he should try. For all he knew, Amy was already on the plane. Ty went over to an empty chair and sat down in it, putting his head in his hands. He should just go home. He had his chance to be with Amy and he didn't take it. Amy had risked everything for him and he couldn't do the same thing for her.

"Ty?"

_Don't say yes, run away now_

_I'll meet you when your out of the church, at the back door_

_Don't wait or say a single vow_

_You need to hear me out_

_And they said speak now_

Ty looked up at the sound of his name and there she was. Amy stood only a few feet from him. She was wearing shorts and a red t-shirt and she was frowning, no doubt wondering what he was doing here. Her hair was down, he'd rarely seen it out of a ponytail, and she looked beautiful, despite the way she was looking at him right now.

"Ty, what are you doing here?" Amy asked, hefting her backpack, it was probably her carry-on, from one shoulder to the other. Ty got up and walked closer to her. She stayed where she was, not moving forward.

"I—I needed to see you," Ty said, not knowing what to say. "I have to- there's something I have to tell you." He took a deep breath and then rushed on. "Heather lied about being pregnant. There is no baby." Ty looked at her, waiting for her reaction.

But Amy didn't have one, she just said, "Oh, okay."

"That's it?" Ty asked her. "That's all you have to say?"

"Well, what do you want me to say?" Amy shrugged. "That I'm sorry that you're not going to be a father. Or that I'm happy that Heather isn't having your baby."

Ty was surprised at her indifference. "Amy, there's nothing stopping us now," Ty said. "We can be together now."

_Don't say yes, run away now_

_I'll meet you when your out of the church, at the back door_

_Don't wait or say a single vow_

_Your time is running out_

_And they said speak now_

"The only thing stopping us was you, Ty," Amy replied. "We could have been together and things with Heather and the baby would have worked itself out. But you chose to go back to Heather."

"Amy, I was overwhelmed and confused," Ty tried to explain. He took a step toward Amy. "I didn't know what to do and I said some things I shouldn't have. Amy, please, I love you and I want to be with you."

Amy shook her head. "You can't do this," she said quietly. "You can't just change your mind when something doesn't work out. I've made my decision, I'm leaving with Alfredo."

"That's not what I'm doing," he tried to make her understand. "Amy, please, say you want to be with me. Stay."

Amy didn't say anything for a moment and Ty saw just how much she was struggling with this. Ty hated putting pressure on her, but he wanted her to choose him. Before Amy could say anything though, a voice came on over the loudspeaker.

"Now boarding flight 136 to London, England! Now boarding flight 136!"

_I hear the preacher say, speak now or forever hold your peace_

_There's the silence, there's my last chance_

_I stand up with shaky hands, all eyes on me_

_Horrified looks from everyone in the room_

_But I'm only looking at you_

"Amy?"

Then, afraid Amy would turn away from him, Ty closed the distance between them, took her face in between his hands and pressed his lips to hers. Amy responded immediately, her mouth opening for his. Her hands slid up his back, sending shivers down his spine. The kiss lasted until Ty no longer needed air to breathe, just Amy. When they finally broke apart, Ty leaned his forehead against hers.

"Stay with me," Ty whispered, still breathless from the kiss.

Then, Amy did something Ty didn't expect. She pulled away from him, her eyes brimming with tears. "I can't." was all she managed to say. Ty tried to grab a hold of her, but Amy slipped out of reach.

Amy turned away and Ty watched her join Alfredo, he hadn't seen the other guy before. She smiled at him through her tears and took his hand, Alfredo returned her smile, though a little hesitant. Ty could do nothing but watch as they walked down the terminal to their awaiting plane, Amy didn't look back at him once. He couldn't help but feel his heart break into a million little pieces and it felt like it would never be be whole again.

_~I am not the kind of girl, who should be barging in on a white vail occasion~_

_~But you, are not the kind of boy, who should be marrying the wrong girl~_

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**A/N: **Please review, if you would like know what happens next! :)


	8. Three Weeks Later

**A/N: **I'm sorry for the long hiatus, but I was finishing another story. Now, that one is finished, I will be focusing solely on this one. So, updates should come more frequently. :)

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**Chapter Eight**

**Three Weeks Later**

The brown and white paint gelding stamped impatiently as I wrapped a poultice around his right foreleg. His metal horseshoe scraped loudly on the concrete floor. I hurried up and finished the dressing; patience was never the gelding's strong-point. The paint tensed and he let out a whinny, his skin quivering with excitement. I straightened up to see a horse and rider enter the stable.

Their footsteps echoed through the wide aisle as they approached. The black mare was walking with a spring in her step, like she hadn't just finished an hour-long drilling session. Alfredo stopped in front of me and stroked the paint gelding's neck.

"How's Alcatraz?" he asked. "What's the prognosis?"

"Strained tendon," I told him. "He should be fine after some time off."

"Yeah, but now we're down one horse, right in the middle of competition season." Alfredo said, running a hand through his thick, black hair.

"But you have three horses you've just begun to train, couldn't one of them take Alcatraz's spot?" I asked, my hand going to the paint's neck.

Alfredo shook his head. "They're too young and inexperienced still." he sighed. "It would be too much stress for them."

"I'm sorry," I said. I know how much polo means to Alfredo, but he cares about his horses more.

"Hey, these things happen, right?" Alfredo replied, smiling an easy smile. "I'm just glad Alcatraz is going to be okay." He gave the gelding another pat. I took his hand in mine and returned his smile. Alfredo looked at me and before I knew what was happening, his lips were on mine. The kiss only lasted a second because Impala started pulling at the reins still clutched in Alfredo's hand.

"This sweaty girl needs my attention right now," Alfredo said.

I pretended to pout. "But she had you to herself for a whole hour, isn't she sick of you yet?"

Impala butted her head playfully against Alfredo's arm. Alfredo laughed, "Apparently not."

After Alfredo led Impala away, I put Alcatraz in his stall with fresh hay and water. I wandered outside. In the three weeks we've been here, Alfredo's polo barn has been flourishing. The rescue barn is still empty, except for one boarder. I've tried to spread the word through tack shops, horse shows, clinics, etc, but all I've gotten so far is a twelve-year-old, whose parents would like her to be more hands on with her horse. Frankly, the girl is a brat and I would never waste my time, but for now this is the closest I have to my work. I'll just have to grin and bear it for now.

Speaking of the twelve-year-old, I can see her now in the large riding arena on her beautiful dapple-gray gelding. I have to admit she is a good rider; she sits lightly in the saddle and she doesn't yank on her horse's mouth. Confidence pours off of her in buckets, from her posture to her attitude. Her gelding was always eager to do what she asked, despite the fact that she only comes to the stables two, maybe three, times a week. They were cantering down the straightaway now and then she turned the gelding towards a jump.

I broke into a run, hoping to get there before she made it to the jump. "Marissa, stop!" I called to her. But, by the time I made it to the fence, the pair had already cleared the vertical. I sighed and waved her over. Marissa trotted her horse to the fence and stopped right in front of me. "Did you see that? Ferdinand just stepped over that fence!" she bragged.

"Marissa, you know your mom doesn't want you jumping when no one is around." I chastised her.

Marissa just shrugged. "Well, you're here now. Hey, do you want to watch me take the course?" She started to turn Ferdinand away.

"I can't watch, Marissa, I have other stuff to do," I told her.

"Like what? I've your only client, remember?" she scoffed.

I hated being reminded of that, especially by a know-it-all brat. I blew out a long breath and ran my hand through my hair. "Fine," I finally relented. "But we're going to do things my way."

"Okay," Marissa agreed, surprising me, but then she added. "How high should the jumps be?"

"I don't mean riding or jumping," I told her. When she just stared at me blankly, I said, "Get off your horse."

Marissa sat stubbornly in the saddle. "Why?" she asked.

"Because," I said, opening the arena gate. "We're going to the round pen."

"The round pen? What for?" Marissa questioned as she hopped down off of Ferdinand. "The round pen is for little kids who don't know how to ride. In case you haven't realized it, I'm neither."

_No, but you are a spoiled brat, who doesn't deserve this expensive thoroughbred, _I thought to myself. Instead, I turned around and started walking to the round pen. I didn't turn around to see if Marissa was following or not. After a moment, I heard the thud of boots hitting the ground and then hurrying to catch up. I smiled inwardly. The round pen was back behind the two barns, away from all the noise, just the way I liked it.

When Marissa led her dapple-gray gelding into the ring, I instructed her to take Ferdinand's saddle and bridle off. The younger girl stared at me dubiously, but did as I said anyway. When Ferdinand stood tackless, I instructed Marissa how to drive the gelding to the outside of the ring and explained to her what join-up was.

"What's the point?" Marissa asked when I finished. "Ferdi already trusts me."

"Maybe, but this will strengthen your bond, if you can call it that," I told her. "Don't you want a true partnership with Ferdinand? Instead of something to get you from point A to point B?"

"I guess," Marissa mumbled.

When Ferdinand was cantering around the ring, I slipped over to the fence and perched myself on the top rail. After two circuits around the ring, Ferdinand's inner ear was fixed on Marissa. I called out to her, asking if she saw it too, but she only brushed me off with a wave. Though, surprisingly, Marissa stepped slightly in Ferdinand's path. The gelding slowed and then turned abruptly to canter in the other direction. A few minutes later, Ferdinand had lowered his head and started to make chewing movements with his mouth. A smile spread across my face as the gelding showed he was ready to join up. Then, the moment was shattered.

"This is pointless! All he's doing is running around in circles!" Marissa exclaimed. She turned to me, her hands on her hips. "I quit."

I opened my mouth to say something, but it was too late. Marissa was already stalking across the round pen. She opened the gate and stomped off in a huff. I sighed and hopped down off the fence. Ferdinand had stopped and was staring off in the direction that Marissa had gone. I approached him with the bridle in hand. The gelding nickered to me and snuffled my hands for treats. He accepted the bit as I slipped the bridle over his head.

"I'm sorry, boy," I whispered to the gelding. When he continued to stare past the round pen, I stroked his neck.

"Things went well?" came a voice from behind me.

I turned around to see Alfredo standing by the half-open gate. I blew out a long sigh. "Did you see?" I asked him.

"No," Alfredo answered, coming further into the round pen. "But I caught a very angry twelve-year-old stomping down the barn aisle. I can only guess what happened."

"I don't know what to do with her," I groaned as I started to lead Ferdinand back to the barn. "She thinks she knows everything and she has no interest in anything that I show her."

"I'm sure she'll come around," Alfredo assured me as he fell into step beside me.

"I doubt it." I muttered.

"Hey, I got something that will make you feel better," Alfredo said, once we entered the stable. I looked over at him curiously. "I've just received a phone call from a woman name Elaine Thompson. Her daughter was in a pretty bad riding accident recently. She's lost all her confidence and her mother doesn't know how to help her."

"What about the horse?" I asked him, leading Ferdinand into his stall. I slipped off his bridle and turned to face Alfredo.

"The horse is young and green, but unaffected by the accident." Alfredo answered.

"So, it's just the girl," I said, stepping out of the stall. Alfredo nodded as he locked the stall door behind me. "Alfredo, I'm not a therapist! I've never worked with someone that traumatized before. I don't know how to help her."

"Amy, it's okay," Alfredo assured me, putting his hands on my shoulders. "All you have to do is help her rebuild her confidence. Teach her join-up, t-touch, and everything else that you do. You've done it all before."

"I don't know," I deliberated.

"C'mon, Amy, all we have to do is get word out and everybody will be flocking to bring their horses here. The Thompsons have connections in the horse community," Alfredo persuaded. But I still wasn't sure. "This could be a good thing, Amy."

I bit my lip, hesitating, and then finally, I said, "Okay, I'll meet with her."

"Great!" Alfredo exclaimed, giving me a hug. "Her name is Kayla, she's sixteen-years-old, and she's coming at ten o'clock tomorrow morning."

I drew back from the hug at his sudden announcement. "You already told her, she could come by?" I asked him, confused. "How did you know I would agree to see her?"

"Because I know you, Amy," Alfredo explained. "You never back down from a challenge. I knew after you heard about what happened to Kayla, you would want to help her." He took my hand, squeezing gently. "I wasn't trying to go behind your back. I just wanted to help."

"It's okay, Ty," I knew my mistake the minute the words were out of my mouth. Alfredo tensed and dropped my hand instantly. I looked up at him and saw the hurt flash across his face, but in the next second it was replaced by anger. "I'm sorry, it just slipped out. I didn't mean-"

"Yeah, I know what you meant!" Alfredo snapped. He turned on his heel and stalked out of the barn without another word.

I stood frozen in the spot in front of Ferdinand's stall, hardly believing Alfredo's outburst. He's always so levelheaded and calm, it truly surprised me when he said that. But I really couldn't believe I'd said _his _name. In the three weeks I've been here, I haven't thought of _him _or Heartland once. So, why am I, all of a sudden, calling my boyfriend _his_ name?

Ferdinand nudged me from behind and I turned to face the gelding. I stroked his velvety, soft nose as he blew gently in my face. I leaned my cheek against his and whispered, "What is wrong with me, Ferdi?"

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**A/N: **So, not a whole lot happened in this chapter, it's really just a filler chapter. How was it? The next chapter will be posted sooner, I promise. Please review, they make me update faster. :)


	9. Something Missing

**A/N: **Hey, I told you it wouldn't be long between updates now. :)

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**Chapter Nine**

The black colt let out a whinny when he saw Ty walking toward the paddock with a lead rope in hand. Ty smiled to himself. Little by little, Ebony Fire was starting to bond with him and enjoy their sessions. Ty let himself into the paddock. Fire didn't run or turn away as Ty approached, but he also didn't move closer. Ty clipped the lead line to Fire's halter.

"Ready to work, Fire?" Ty asked the colt, scratching under his mane. He had found it to be Fire's sweet spot a few days ago and it had earned him likable points from the colt.

Fire pranced alongside Ty as they walked to the barn. He wasn't pulling or dragging him, so Ty let him be. Ty tied Fire up outside the tack room and stepped inside to grab a few brushes. Joni was already in there, sitting on one of the tack boxes, her head was bent over something. It wasn't until she looked up at him that he realized she was bandaging her hand.

"What happened?" Ty asked.

"Apollo," Joni said simply. "He's getting worse, Ty. Ever since..." She trailed off, not knowing what to say.

_Since Amy left, _Ty finished for her. As if the thought doesn't cross his mind every morning when he wakes up. Or go to discuss a horse with her and find that she's not there. For three weeks, he had pushed her to the back of his mind, but she was always there when he closed his eyes.

"Ty, you may not like what I have to say," Joni was saying. Ty put the brushes down and gave her his full attention. "But there may be only one option left for Apollo."

"No!" Ty said sharply. "Absolutely not." He shook his head adamantly. He knew what she was saying and that was not an option. Heartland didn't kill horses just because they were unmanageable. They would find a way to get through to Apollo, they always did.

"Then maybe we should call Amy," Joni suggested. "She was the only one to get close to him."

"That's not an option either," Ty shook his head again, more furiously this time.

"Ty, we have to do something," Joni insisted. "We can't get near him and he's barely eating. A horse can't survive in a stall like that. You of all people should know that."

"What do you want me to do?" Ty asked, feeling overwhelmed with everything that has happened.

"Ty, we need you to get back in touch with reality," Joni said. "You've been wandering around here in a daze for three weeks. Ever since Amy left, it's like your only half here."

"Hey, I've been doing my job." Ty contradicted.

"Barely, Ty," Joni's voice softened. "Yesterday, you almost gave a horse the wrong supplement and last week, you forgot to water the horses in the front pastures. I know you've been through a lot the past couple of weeks, but you can't make mistakes like these, not with horses."

Ty ran a hand over his face and sat down next to her on the tack box, feeling defeated. "I don't know what to do." he confessed.

"You need to decide what you want," Joni told him, quietly. "Then you have to go out there and get it."

Ty looked up at her. "Amy already made her decision," he said. "I told her how I felt and she still chose to leave."

"Well then, you have two options," Joni replied. "You can either accept that and move on or you can go after her. Just make sure it's a decision you can live with for the rest of your life."

Ty stared down at his hands. He felt Joni squeeze his shoulder before she got up and left the tack room. Ty stayed for a few minutes, thinking. Joni was right; he hadn't been himself these past three weeks. He hated the person he'd become, angry and miserable, lashing out at everybody who cared about him. He needed to do something about this: he couldn't keep living like this. His cell phone buzzed inside his pocket, startling him out of his thoughts. His heart leapt to his throat as he pulled the phone out. But it wasn't who he had been hoping it was, it was worse.

_Hey, just checking in. How are you? I miss you._

_ - H_

Heather. She had been sending him texts a lot, sometimes she'd call him, but he never answered. He knew that she was trying to make amends, but Ty just wasn't ready to face her yet. He didn't think he would ever be ready. Ty typed a hasty reply back and slipped the phone back inside his pocket. Outside the tack room, Ty could hear Fire pawing the ground furiously. He had obviously worn out the colt's already thin patience.

When Ty stepped out of the tack room, Fire stopped his pawing altogether and stared expectantly at Ty. "Okay, Fire, change of plans," Ty said, untying the colt. "We're going to do something a little different today."

He led Fire away from the barn, towards the round pen. Ty released the colt as soon as they were inside the ring. Fire sniffed the sand, pawed two times and started to lie down. Ty quickly clicked his tongue and swung the end of the lead rope at the colt's hindquarters. Fire jumped and trotted towards the fence. When he stopped and looked at him, Ty chased after him, swinging the lead rope. Fire snorted and broke into a fast canter.

Fire cantered, fast and free, around the ring for about ten minutes, not glancing at Ty once. After the twelfth circuit, the colt seemed to notice that Ty was still here and started to slow. He put the pressure back on, sending Fire into a canter. He had the colt's full attention. Though, it wasn't until three circuits later that Fire's inside ear stayed fixed on him. Ty couldn't stop the excitement that hummed through his body, but he couldn't get overconfident now. Anything could happen.

Ty stepped slightly into the colt's path and Fire reacted immediately, changing direction. It took four more circuits before Fire dropped down to a trot and lowered his head, making chewing movements with his mouth. Dropping his aggressive stance, Ty turned his shoulders away from the colt. He heard Fire's hoofbeats slow and then come to a stop. There was a tense few seconds where everything was still and silent. Then, there was the sound of soft hoofbeats on sand as Fire approached. A second later, Ty felt the colt's hot breath on the back of his neck.

Turning slowly, Ty gave Fire a rub on the neck. The colt was warm, but he hadn't even broken into a sweat. Fire snorted and snuffled his lips through Ty's hair. Ty gently pushed Fire's nose away, then turned and walked across the ring. Fire didn't miss a beat; he followed Ty, his muzzle even with Ty's shoulder the whole time. No matter if Ty zigzagged or ran, Fire kept pace with him, never straying that far away. Eventually, Ty stopped and gave the colt a nice long rub.

A burst of clapping broke Ty out of his bubble and he looked toward the fence. Holly was standing, peering through the fence rails, her hands clapping a mile a minute. Her smile was so big it took up half her face. Clipping the lead rope onto Fire's halter, Ty led Fire over to the gate. "What are you doing, Holly?" he asked the four-year-old.

"Watching you," Holly said with a giggle, putting her hand to her mouth.

Ty smiled. "I meant, does your mommy know where you are?" he corrected himself. Ty unlatched the gate and pushed it open, keeping Fire in check.

"Sure," Holly answered, walking slowly up to them. "Mommy's getting Georgie out of the car." Right after she said that, Ty heard footsteps approaching. He looked up and saw Lou, carrying Georgia in one arm and a bag of groceries in the other, walking toward them.

"Holly, I told you to stop running away from me like that," Lou chastised her daughter, when she finally caught up to them.

"I know," Holly said with very little remorse. "But I wanted to show Ty the picture I drawed." She started to wrestle something out of her shorts' pocket. She pulled out a piece of paper and tried to unfold it, but immediately gave up. "Mommy, help!" Holly held the paper up to Lou.

"With what hand do you want me to help?" Lou asked rhetorically, trying to rearrange her hands somehow.

"I got it," Ty offered, taking the paper from Holly. He opened it. "Oh, wow!" The drawing was a cacophony of color with several stick figures randomly placed around the paper.

"You like it?" Holly asked, swinging her clasped hands behind her. "I drawed me, mommy, and daddy, oh and Georgie too. I drawed you and Aunt Amy next to the ponies."

"It's nice." Ty managed to say. He handed the paper back to Holly. He didn't want to look at the drawing of him and Amy anymore. But that's just it; it was just drawing, drawn by a four-year-old. So, why did it have this effect on him?

Seeing the look on Ty's face, Lou started ushering Holly toward the farmhouse. "C'mon, Holly, let's go inside. Mommy has a lot of work to do."

"What I say?" Holly asked, confusedly, as they walked to the farmhouse.

"Come on, Fire," Ty muttered to the colt, leading him forward. He walked with automatic movements, his mind going a mile a minute. He couldn't react this way every time someone brought up Amy's name, that was no way to live. Ty had to do something and he knew exactly what he was going to do.

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**A/N: ** Please review! The next chapter is almost done, it should be up soon. :)


	10. Polo and Some Mints

**A/N: **I am sorry for not posting sooner. Time got away from me and for some reason I just couldn't concentrate on this chapter. But I finished it and here it is. :)

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**Chapter Ten**

I tried, but failed, to stifle a yawn and took a sip from the coffee mug I held in my hand. The coffee helped send a jolt of energy through my body, but I could still feel exhaustion pulling at my limbs. It was five-thirty in the morning and we were getting ready to drive to Southampton for a polo match. I was sitting on a tack box at the entrance of the barn, watching everybody else load up the horse van. I'd wanted to help, but once I loaded up the wrong polo wraps, Alfredo had told me to sit down and relax. I guess I hadn't gotten as much sleep as I thought.

Yesterday hadn't been an easy day by far. Kayla had come at ten o'clock, just like Alfredo said, one look and I knew I had to help her. She'd just looked so shattered and helpless and it just got worse when she was around her horse. Her horse was a beautiful bay, warm-blood mare named Cosmic Aura. She had the softest eyes I had ever seen and a temperament to match. It was obvious that the riding accident had been just that; an accident.

Kayla had been extremely receptive with anything I told her. I could tell she wanted to try everything, but her nerves kept holding her back. We had spent several hours hanging out by Aura's stall. I taught her t-touch, and about aromatherapy oils and rescue remedies. The session had been going well, that is, until Marissa had dropped by to add some of her own condescending two-sense in. Then, she informed me that she was taking Ferdinand to a different barn. I hadn't argued with her.

"Are you sure you don't want me to help?" I asked Alfredo when he emerged from the barn, leading Impala. The mare's red travel wraps stood out brightly in the predawn light.

"Yes, I am," Alfredo answered, stopping Impala in front of me. "We only have two more horses to load anyway."

"Alright," I sighed, taking another sip of my coffee. I watched as Alfredo loaded Impala into the trailer. When Alfredo came out, the stable manager came out of the barn leading a black gelding. A loud whinny came from inside followed by frantic banging.

"Who's left?" Alfredo asked Andy, gesturing to the noise.

"No one, that's Alcatraz." Andy said.

My heart instantly went out to the paint gelding. All he knew was that he was supposed to be going too. He didn't understand why no one was coming back for him. I set my mug down and jumped up.

"I can give Alcatraz some herbal remedies to keep him calm down," I suggested.

"Thanks, Amy," Alfredo smiled at me. "We'll wait for you."

I tried to ignore Andy's snide comment he'd muttered as I hurried into the barn. He hadn't exactly been thrilled when I'd arrived in England and he went out of his way to avoid me whenever he could. Alcatraz let out another loud whinny when he saw me and started banging his stall door. I slipped into the tack room to grab a few bottles of bach flower remedies, I kept a stash in here, and went back to the anxious gelding. Alcatraz was now pacing his stall frantically.

"I'm sorry, boy," I said as I approached the stall. "I wish you could go too, but you can't right now."

I leaned into the stall to squeeze a few drops of the remedy into the gelding's water bucket. Alcatraz ignored me and tried to see past me, down the aisle. I hope he'll, at least, drink some of the water, so that he can calm down and not be stressed all day. I started to do a little t-touch on the paint's neck. At first, it looked like it was starting to work until Alcatraz swung around and started pacing again. I didn't want to leave him like this, but I could hear Alfredo calling me. Sighing, I left Alcatraz to his pacing and went outside.

When I stepped outside, the rest of the polo team were piled into the two trucks and Alfredo was waiting for me by his car. "How's Alcatraz?" he asked when I approached.

I made a face. "Could be better," I said.

"He'll be fine," Alfredo assured me. He gave me a brief, but reassuring hug and then climbed into his car. As we pulled out onto the road behind the horse trailers, I could of sworn I heard Alcatraz's long, haunting whinny and my heart wrenched.

**/X/**

Twelve horses stampeded across the field, clumps of grass flying from beneath their hooves. Their riders swung wooden mallets or held them up by their shoulders. Alfredo's team was down by five points, but they were gaining quickly. My heart beat with excitement as I watched the riders gallop past. For being relatively new to the sport of polo, I caught on quickly and knew almost everything there was to know about the game.

"You're Alfredo's girlfriend, right?" came a voice from behind me.

I turned around and found a girl about my age, maybe a little older, standing before me. She had the same olive skin as Alfredo and raven-black hair. Her eyes were dark brown, almost black, and she had spoken with a slight British accent, meaning she hadn't lived in England her whole life. She wasn't dressed like the other country club guests; she wore jeans and a red polo shirt. I wondering if, maybe, she worked in the stables.

I nodded, "Amy."

"Olivia," the girl introduced herself, sticking her hand out. I took her hand and shook it politely.

"Do you work here?" I asked her.

"Yes, I do," Olivia answered. "I wanted to take a break, though, and come watch the match. I haven't seen Alfredo in years."

"Oh, you know Alfredo? He's never mentioned you," I said, genuinely surprised.

"Yeah, though, we haven't talked since he moved to the U.S. He and I had grown up together as kids in India, until he and his moved. Shortly after that, I moved to England." Olivia explained. "He doesn't know I'm here. I wanted to surprise him."

"Oh, that's...nice," I said hesitantly. "I was just going to check on the horses, do you want to come along?"

"No thanks, I'm going to stay here," Olivia replied, turning back to the polo field.

"Okay, I'll see you later then." I said. Olivia gave a small wave without taking her eyes off the field. I turned and started walking toward the stable area.

Alfredo had reserved six stalls at the end of the second barn, but only three were being occupied right now. A black gelding had his head over his stall door as he dozed. He barely flicked an ear as I approached. Raven is the laziest horse on the team, but get him out on the field and he became a different horse. In the next stall, a gray mare was finishing up some last bits of hay. Ice Queen is the smallest horse on the team, but she's a spitfire and she gets the job done. She pinned her ears at me as I passed. In the last stall, a dark bay mare watched me. Indigo, being twenty-four years old, had been recently retired until Alcatraz had gotten hurt. Alfredo had brought her back on, after going through every other option. At least, it was only for a little while.

"Hey, Indigo," I murmured when the mare walked up to the stall door. I stroked her soft muzzle. Indigo snorted softly and pressed her nose to my chest, inhaling deeply. I smiled. The old mare had a bit of a sweet tooth and she always knew when I had something for her.

"Alright, alright," I told her, digging in my pocket for a mint. "How do you know I always have something for you?" I unwrapped the mint and held it out to the mare. Indigo gobbled the mint up, glancing up at me through her lashes as she did.

"You've had a good life here, haven't you?" I found myself asking. Indigo snorted, searching for more mints. When she found none, she dropped her head to the ground. "Then, I will too." Indigo snorted, this time shaking her mane two times.


	11. Proposal

**Chapter Eleven**

I hummed quietly to myself as I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a terry-cloth towel around my body. Wiping the steam off the mirror, I started to blow-dry my long, brown hair until it was soft and silky. I unplugged the hair-dryer and put it back under the sink, in the cabinet. After patting myself the rest of the way dry with a towel, I pulled on my undergarments and rubbed some lotion on my legs. Turning off the light, I left the bathroom and came into a grand and spacious room, that was now my bedroom.

It was twice the size of my old room back at Heartland with a king-size, four-poster bed and a fireplace. There was no fire in it now, but I could just imagine myself on a cold, winter night, snuggled by that fireplace, and it was a wonderful thought. It brought a smile to my face just thinking about it. I brought my attention to the silver cocktail dress laying on the bed. Alfredo had bought it for me, hoping I would like it. I loved it.

Alfredo's team won the polo match earlier and he wanted to go out and celebrate, just the two of us. He'd also told me to dress nice, that tonight was going to be special. I was giddy with anticipation to see what Alfredo had planned. I pulled on the silver dress and let it fall just below my knees. It shimmered when I moved, the light catching the diamond-like jewels at the bodice.

I sat down at the vanity that sat near one of the two giant windows and looked at myself in the mirror. My gray eyes seemed to stand out against my pale skin. I brushed a light dusting of eye shadow and some mascara, and then, I put some blush on my cheeks and lip gloss on my lips. Earrings and a necklace finished the look. I started to get up when I saw Ty's promise ring still on my finger. I stared at it for a moment and then slid it off my finger and put it away in my jewelry box. My finger suddenly felt bare without it.

There was a soft knock at the door, followed by Alfredo's voice. "Amy, are you ready?" he asked. "The limo is waiting outside."

"Yeah, I'm ready," I answered him, standing up and slipping on my silver heels. _A limo? Tonight is special, _I smiled to myself as I grabbed my clutch and opened the door.

Alfredo sucked in his breath when he saw me. He seemed to have trouble speaking; he kept licking his lips in his attempts to try. Of course, he wasn't badly dressed either. He wore a black, tailored suit with a crisp white shirt and gray tie. "You're beautiful," Alfredo said, when he finally found his voice.

"Thank you," I blushed, stepping out into the hallway. "Did you really hire a limo for tonight?" I couldn't help to ask.

"I wanted this night to be unforgettable," Alfredo said, his arm sliding around my shoulders as we walked downstairs.

"Well, you're definitely off to a great start," I laughed, leaning into him a little bit.

When we stepped outside, again I was struck by the fact that Alfredo had actually rented a limousine for tonight. No one had ever done anything this extravagant for me before, not even Ty. The limousine driver opened the door for us as we approached. Ever the gentleman, Alfredo let me slide in first and then he slid in. I marveled at the leather and chrome interior and at the minibar on the side. After signaling the driver to go ahead, Alfredo picked up a champagne bottle and two flutes. I watched him curiously.

"Let's have a toast," Alfredo said, uncorking the bottle. He handed me a flute and poured sparkling champagne into both of our glasses. Alfredo placed the champagne bottle back in the ice bucket and held up his glass. "To an unforgettable evening."

"An unforgettable evening," I repeated, tapping my glass to his.

**/X/**

After we left the restaurant, Alfredo and I went across the street and walked through the park for a little bit. It was Alfredo's idea and I agreed. It was a beautiful night and I didn't want it to end. We talked about everything and nothing at the same time, just enjoying each other's company. I looped my arm through Alfredo's arm and leaned my head against his shoulder as we walked. He smiled down at me and pressed his lips to the top of my head.

We were approaching a small foot bridge that overlooked a pond. Frogs and crickets chirped from the glistening water, disturbing the quietness of the park. We walked onto the bridge, stopping once we got to the middle of the bridge and looked out over the pond. I leaned on the railing, watching as two ducks swam out into the middle of the water. Alfredo stood slightly behind me and I was aware just how close he was to me.

"It's beautiful out here," I mused, looking up at the starry night.

"Yeah, it is." Alfredo agreed with a slight catch to his voice. I glanced at him curiously and saw that he was staring at me.

"What?" I asked him.

"You're so beautiful, Amy," Alfredo said and I couldn't help the blush that spread over my cheeks. "I love you so much."

"I love you too." I told him as he took my hands.

"I know you've gone through a lot these past few weeks," Alfredo continued. "And I am honored that you've chosen to spend your life with me. Now I only wish to make it official."

I couldn't help the small gasp that escaped my lips when Alfredo lowered himself to one knee. He pulled out a small, black velvet box from his jacket pocket and opened it. Inside was the most gorgeous diamond ring I've ever seen.

"Amy Fleming, will you marry me?"

**/X/**

Ty jolted awake and was disoriented for a moment. Once he remembered that he was on a plane, Ty relaxed a bit. His seat-mate, a thirty-something man in a business suit and laptop, was watching him. He averted the man's gaze and placed the headphones over his ears, turning his attention on the in-flight movie. Eventually, the man went back to typing on his laptop and he breathed a sigh of relief.

As much as he tried, though, Ty couldn't concentrate on the movie. He was anxious and his mind was restless. He kept fidgeting and wondering if he was crazy for doing this. But all he had to do was think of Amy, and Ty knew he was doing the right thing. He didn't want to live the rest of his life without her. He's sorry it took this long for him to realize that. He was going to England to get Amy back.

Hopefully, it wasn't too late.

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry about the cliffhanger, but if you want to know Amy's answer, tune into the next chapter. Please review! :)


	12. Come Home

**Chapter Twelve**

I woke up the next morning confused. It wasn't until I saw the box sitting on my dresser that the events of last night came rushing back to me. Alfredo proposed last night. He had asked me to marry him and I hesitated. I didn't give him an answer, why hadn't I answered him? I still don't know.

Alfredo had been understanding and had said, I didn't have to say anything right away. That I could think about it and give him an answer when I was ready. He'd said it with a smile, but I could see the hurt and disappointment in his eyes. Alfredo had wanted me to say yes; he'd wanted to marry me. I love Alfredo, I chose him, so why couldn't I say yes.

Shaking my head, I got up out of bed and pulled on some clothes and my boots. I left the house without any breakfast, I wasn't feeling very hungry and headed straight for the barn. Alfredo's truck wasn't in the driveway, so he must have gone out. He probably didn't want to see me. I am a horrible person.

Cosmic Aura had her head over her stall door and she watched me intently as I approached. The stable-hands had already fed her and mucked out her stall. I put her name-plated, leather halter on and led the bay mare out into the aisle. Aura pranced excitedly, thinking she was going out to the pastures. Instead, I hooked her to a pair of crossties where she snorted her disappointment.

"Okay, let me go get your brushes, pretty girl," I said, giving Aura a pat on the neck. I went to the tack room and picked up Kayla's grooming box. When I came back to Aura, there was a young girl standing in front of the mare, crooning to her. She was slight with pale skin and deep mocha-colored hair. Her hazel eyes usually ranged from dusty blue to steel gray, and on some days pale green. She wore dark skinny jeans and a gray-and-yellow zip up sweatshirt. I smiled as I listened to the girl talk to her horse.

"Hey, Kayla," I greeted, coming the rest of the way toward her. Kayla jumped a bit as she turned, startled. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"That's okay," Kayla said, her voice quiet, the way it always is. She smiled easily. "So, what are we doing today?"

"Well, I was thinking of giving this girl a nice grooming session," I told Kayla. "It will make us all feel good."

"Okay, watch this," Kayla replied, taking the grooming box from me and set it down in front of Aura. She picked up a soft brush and held it out to the mare. I watched her curiously.

"Brush." Kayla said. After a second, Aura took the brush in her teeth and arched her neck, so that the brush touched her chest. Aura bobbed her head a few times, so that it looked like she was brushing herself.

"Aw, that's cute!" I laughed. "Did you teach her that?"

Kayla nodded. "It wasn't that hard," she explained. "Aura would always take the brushes from me, so I figured she might as well help me."

"That was a good idea." I replied.

After that, Kayla and I got to work making Aura clean. We worked in quiet unison, occasionally making small chitchat. When the mare shone with cleanliness, I led Kayla and Aura outside to the round pen. I was going to let Kayla try join-up for the first time. I was sure they were ready; the pair already had a strong connection. The mare snorted and pawed the soft sand of the round pen a few times, happy to be outside.

"Do you remember what I told you?" I asked Kayla. The girl nodded, swallowing hard. I could see the anxiousness getting to her and I was afraid she would bolt. So, I put my hand on her arm, reassuringly, and said, "It'll be fine."

Kayla took a few deep, calming breaths. When I was sure she was okay, I backed away toward the fence. I climbed up to sit on the top rail and watched. Kayla was timid at first, and I had to keep reminding her of things But after about ten minutes, Kayla had relaxed and join-up started to go smoothly. Kayla was now giving clear and concise signals and Aura was responding to them immediately. In only a few minutes, Aura had joined up.

"It's amazing every time I see it."

I stiffened at the sound of the voice, and, for a second, I thought I'd imagined it. But I could feel his presence behind me as he were touching me. Chills went up my spine. I turned my head and there he was. Ty. I couldn't believe he was here, let it alone, in England.

"What are you doing?" I asked him, keeping my voice low, so Kayla wouldn't hear the anxiety in my voice.

"I want to talk to you," Ty said.

Talk? He came all the way to England to talk to me? I turned back to Kayla and took a deep breath. "Kayla, do some of the exercises I taught you yesterday." I called to her. "I'll be right back."

Kayla glanced quickly at me and then nodded. "Okay." she said, turning back to her mare.

I jumped down off the fence and gestured for Ty to follow me. I led him to the front porch of the grand farmhouse. Ty gave a low whistle as he climbed the porch steps, gazing at the impressive house. I couldn't blame him for staring, I haven't gotten used to the fact that I lived here now. I mean, the porch was almost the size as one barn. I sat down in one of the white wicker chairs and Ty sat in the other one.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" I started, looking out at the pastures and the horses milling around in them.

"Us," Ty said.

I looked at him sharply. "There is no 'us' anymore." I replied.

"I don't believe that, and neither do you," Ty said. "But I don't understand why you ran away from me that day at the airport after we kissed."

I didn't know what to say, so I stood up and walked to the edge of the porch. One mention of it, and the memory of that day at the airport came flooding back. Ty coming to the airport, telling me he wanted to be with me, and then the kiss. I still don't know why I ran away from Ty that day, maybe it was because of Alfredo, I'm not sure. I was still shuffling through my thoughts when I heard Ty walk up behind me.

"Amy, I love you," Ty said. I turned to look at him. "I always have and I always will. I just want to be with you, Amy, please tell me you want the same thing?"

"Alfredo asked me to marry him," I blurted out. I didn't know why I said it, it just came out.

Ty didn't even blink; it almost seemed like he didn't hear me until he said, "You're not wearing a ring, so that means he didn't give you a ring or you said no."

I looked away.

"I'm right. You rejected him, didn't you?" Ty assumed.

"I actually didn't give him an answer yet," I corrected him, avoiding his gaze. "He said I could think about it."

There was chuckle and I looked up at Ty abruptly. "Amy, that's not something you think about," Ty said, wiping away the smile on his face with his hand. "You either want to marry Alfredo or you don't."

"I don't want to hurt him," I found myself whispering.

"Amy, you already are, the longer you don't tell him the truth," Ty replied softly. "Do you still love me?"

Tears filled my eyes as I bit my lip, and nodded. Ty licked his own lips and took my hands, surprisingly, I didn't stop him. "And do you want to be with me?" Ty asked, sounding unsure all of a sudden.

This time a tear slipped down my cheek as I nodded again. "Yes, I do." I said, my voice cracking.

Ty didn't say anything else, instead, he put his hands on either side of my face and leaned in toward me. Our lips barely touched, but I could feel the electricity between us as if it were palpable. As we kissed, it felt like we were emotionally connected; I could feel everything he was feeling. I poured everything into the kiss, wanting him to know exactly how I felt. Until I pulled back with only one thought on my mind and I realized I was crying.

"I have to talk to Alfredo first," I said.

"Okay," Ty replied, wiping away my tears with his thumb. "It's going to be okay." I nodded as he pulled me into a hug and I desperately hoped it would be.

**/X/**

I stood outside of Alfredo's office, trying to work up the nerve to go in. I could hear Alfredo inside typing on his laptop. The box seemed to grow heavier in my hand as I imagined just how devastated he would be. I took a deep breath; I had to do this. Ty was meeting me at the airport. I'd told him that he shouldn't be here when I talked to Alfredo. He'd reluctantly agreed.

_Quit stalling, _I told myself. With that, I pushed open the door and walked in. Alfredo didn't seem to notice my entrance; his eyes stayed glued on the computer screen, his fingers flying over the keyboard. For a second, I thought about turning and running from the room, but I forced myself to stay. Finally, Alfredo stopped typing and looked up at me.

"What's up, Amy?" he asked, smiling, despite what I put him through since last night.

"I...um..." I didn't know how to start. How do you begin to break someone's heart? I realized there was no easy way, you just had to do it. So, I placed the ring box on the desk in front of him. "I can't accept this."

Alfredo looked from the box to me, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion. "I don't understand," he said. "Is it the ring? If it's too much, I can get-"

I shook my head, tears filling my eyes. "The ring's beautiful. It's not that." I took another deep breath to keep my voice steady. "I can't accept your proposal."

Alfredo stood up and came around the desk to stand in front of me. I unconsciously took a step back. "I thought this was what you wanted. You came here with me." He kept his voice calm, but I could tell he was hurt and angry.

"I'm sorry, I thought this was what I wanted," I tried to explain. "But ever since I got here, it feels like a piece of me is missing. And it's not just homesickness. I belong at Heartland and my heart belongs to someone else."

"I know," Alfredo said, surprising me. I looked up at him, wiping away the tears that had started to fall.

"You do? How?" I asked him. Now it was my turn to be confused. How did he know, when it took me this long to sort out my feelings?

"I've known since I came to Heartland," Alfredo explained and I stared at him. "I saw the way you were there, with him. You just came alive and you were so much happier. I was prepared to say goodbye then. But then, you chose to leave with me and I thought it was for the best. I wanted to make you just as happy as you were at Heartland. Obviously, that didn't work."

"Alfredo, I am so sorry!" I cried, shaking my head furiously. Alfredo stepped closer.

"Shhh," Alfredo quieted me, wiping away my tears. "I don't regret any moment I've spent with you. I love you, Amy. Loving you has made me a better person and that is why I'm letting you go."

I choked on a sob and tried to say something, but couldn't. Alfredo saw this and pulled me in for a hug. I let him, holding back the rest of my tears. I could tell Alfredo was holding back his own feelings, for my own sake, and I somehow felt worse. But at least everything was out in the open now, and he could begin to heal and move on with someone else.

Because everybody deserves to be happy.

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**A/N: **Hey, there are two more chapters to this story and then it's finished. Please review and tell me what you're thinking! :)


	13. One Last Obstacle

**Chapter Thirteen**

The pale blue sky seemed endless through the small, glass window as I watched the light, wispy clouds race past. Or was the plane racing past them? I couldn't tell anymore; the sleepless nights are catching up to me. My head lulled to the side of the seat and I found it hard to keep my eyes open. The only thing I was really aware of was Ty's hand entwined with mine and his thumb stroking circles on the back of my hand. I couldn't believe this was happening. I was actually leaving England and Alfredo behind, and going home to Heartland with Ty. As if he heard my thoughts, Ty turned toward me and smiled. I think he may have said something, but I was already drifting off to sleep and didn't hear him.

I woke up some time later to the sound of crinkling paper. I opened my eyes and saw Ty crumpling a red Ritz cracker bag. He was wearing the plane headphones and was staring intently at the movie screen at the front of the plane, chewing absentmindedly. My body started screaming in pain from its' cramped position, so I stretched my legs out from where they were tucked under me. Seeing my movement, Ty looked at me and took the headphones off his head.

"Did you have a nice sleep?" Ty asked me, his hand automatically gravitating toward mine. Our fingers entwined like magnets.

"It could have been more comfortable, it's much better now," I smiled at him. Then, I couldn't help myself. "I see, you didn't save any for me."

When he looked confused, I pointed to the empty, snack bag in his hand. "Oh, this," Ty said, looking down at his hand. He dropped the trash on the tray table in front of him and picked something else up. "I got you one too."

"Oh, you're the best!" I said, taking the snack from him and leaned forward to plant a kiss on his cheek. I opened the bag and popped a cracker in my mouth. "So, what's been happening at Heartland since I left?"

Ty's face turned grim. "There was another reason for my coming," he replied solemnly. "It's Apollo."

My stomach turned nervously and I put the bag back down on the table, not feeling very hungry anymore. "What happened?" I asked.

"Apollo's gotten worse, Amy," Ty explained. "He won't eat and he blows up when someone even comes close to his stall. It's getting dangerous. Joni thinks we should just put him down."

"No, absolutely not." I shook my head adamantly.

Ty nodded in agreement. "That's what I told her."

"I didn't think it would affect him that much," I said, my heart going out to the palomino gelding. "I've messed so many things up."

"Hey, we're going to fix Apollo," Ty told me, with conviction. I looked into his green eyes and the determination there. When I saw the drive to help a damaged horse, I couldn't help but feel the same. That is what we do, after all. We helped horses who needed our help.

"You're right," I agreed. "We'll help Apollo together."

We shared a short, sweet kiss, but it was filled with all the love that was between us. When we pulled apart, Ty had another serious look on his face. I looked at him curiously. "There is still another problem we'll have to deal with when we get home." Ty said.

My curiosity deepened.

"Heather,"

**/X/**

Heartland looked exactly the same when Ty and I pulled into the driveway and it felt like home too. Unlike the last time I was here; I had felt like an outsider. Not anymore. This was where I belonged and I wasn't going to let anyone tell me otherwise. Ty put the truck in park and turned off the engine.

"Looks like Lou and Scott are both out," Ty speculated, looking out the windshield.

"Yeah, but someone else isn't," I added bitterly as I opened the door. Ty looked at me and I pointed to the red car parked in front of the barn.

"Yeah, she's been coming everyday, to exercise Sundance," Ty explained. "And to act like nothing has happened."

"Well, if she knows what's good for her, she'll stay away from me," The words surprised me when they came out, but I found them to be true. If I came face to face with Heather, I wasn't sure what I'd do, especially after everything she put Ty through.

"Let's just not think of her," Ty suggested as he got out of the truck. I followed suit. Ty went to the truck bed and pulled our bags out.

"Good idea," I muttered, staring at the barn. Then, I turned to Ty. "I'm going to see Apollo first." I was anxious to see for myself how the gelding was doing.

"Okay, he's in the front barn," Ty told me. "I'm just going to put these in the house."

I nodded and started walking to the front stable block as Ty started walking to the house. I was almost to Apollo's stall when another figure rounded the corner of the barn. I instantly recognized her as Joni. She saw me and hurried over to me.

"I thought I heard a truck," Joni said, smiling. "Hey, Amy, it's good to see you. Are you staying for good this time?"

"Yes, I am," I smiled back. "Actually, I was about to go see Apollo."

"Oh, yeah, he's still in the same stall," Joni replied. "I would go with you, but Apollo's not very keen on a lot of people. If you need any help, I won't be that far away, though."

"Thanks," I said gratefully. I continued walking toward Apollo's end stall, unsure of what I would find. Every conceivable possibility went through my mind, each one worse than the last. When I finally reached the end stall, it was better than I had expected.

Apollo stood at the very back of his stall, in a resting position. He was very skinny, but his hay looked half-eaten, so that was a good sign. The palomino gelding pricked his ears and stared at me for a long moment. I held my breath. When he turned his head away, I let out my breath and I couldn't be happier. He hadn't blown up in the way Ty had described, so he either recognized me as someone he can trust or he was too depressed to care. I hoped it was the former.

"You remember me, boy, don't you?" I kept my voice low, so not to frighten him. Apollo turned to look at me again, his interest piqued. So, I kept talking. "I'm sorry, I left you. I didn't think it would affect you this much. I didn't think about a lot of things and I hurt a lot of people, including you. I'm so sorry, Apollo."

As I was talking, Apollo had taken two steps in my direction. I tried not to pay any attention to it, but inside I was bubbling with excitement. The gelding took a few more steps and then stopped. I started talking again; mostly telling him that he was a good boy, and nothing was going to hurt him anymore. He seemed to like the sound of my voice. Then, all of a sudden, he was standing right in front of me.

"You're a brave boy, Apollo," I told the gelding. I reached up slowly to touch his face and when he didn't move, I let my fingers trail down his scar. "Will you let me brush you? I bet you'd look so beautiful when I'm done."

"Have you come back to ruin some more lives?"

We both stiffened at the sound of the voice. I turned around slowly to stare at her. Heather stood a couple of stalls down, her hip cocked. She was dressed immaculately as usual, in her tan breeches and boots and her lime green polo shirt tucked in. All without a spot of horsehair or dust anywhere on her. To make matters worse, she was holding a saddled Sundance who was slick with sweat and breathing heavy. My anger suddenly flared. I stalked over to her.

"How hard did you work him?" I asked her, trying to take the reins from her, but she held them at bay. "He's not some young thoroughbred you can race around a jump course with."

"He's my horse, I can do what I want with him," Heather had the nerve to say. Sundance thought otherwise though. He resented Heather for pulling him away from me and was now pinning his ears at her.

"No, actually, he's mine," I corrected her. I tried to take my pony's reins again, but Heather jerked her hand away _again. _Sundance had enough, he bared his teeth and went to bite her. Luckily, Heather moved her arm before he could connect.

"Stop that!" Heather scolded the pony, bringing her crop down on Sundance's shoulder with a loud smack. Sundance shied away, looking hurt.

"Hey!" I snapped at her, my anger unleashed now. I wanted to hit her and I would have too, if Ty hadn't chosen that moment to show up.

"That's enough, Heather," Ty said as he came up to stand beside me. "You know we don't hit horses here." He reached over and grabbed the crop from Heather before she could blink.

"She's the one coming over here, telling me how to ride," Heather accused, pointing at me. "She thinks she's this amazing horse-whisperer, but what she really does is abandon her horses. She's just here for a little while, and then she's going to leave. Again."

The statement sent a shock of pain through my chest and I took a step back. It was true. I had abandoned Apollo, even, in some way, Sundance too. Ty put his hand on my back, steadying me. His unspoken words were right; I couldn't let what Heather said get to me. That's exactly what she wants; to have me doubt everything I have chosen.

"Amy is staying," Ty told her, his arm sliding around my shoulders. "She's not going anywhere. If you can't handle that or get along with Amy, then I'm going to have to ask you to leave." I couldn't hide the my smile when Heather's mouth dropped open.

"But Ty, you love me. You wanted to marry me." Heather sputtered.

"I'm sorry, Heather," Ty said quietly, his arm dropping away from my shoulders. I felt its' absence like a cold wind. "I never wanted you to get hurt."

Heather opened and closed her mouth a few times, looking between both Ty and myself. A part of me felt sorry for her. She didn't deserve to be hurt, but what she did because of it, I couldn't be sorry for. She chose to act the way she did. Finally, Heather dropped Sundance's reins and walked away, with her head held high. I picked up Sundance's reins as we watched Heather get in her car and drive off.

"That wasn't so hard," Ty said, breaking the silence.

I looked up at him and saw that he was smiling. I smiled back, laughing a little, and pushed against him playfully. Sundance nuzzled his head against me and I rubbed his neck. Now that there were no more obstacles in our way, Ty and I could finally move forward.

* * *

**A/N: **This chapter was actually finished on Wednesday, but it took me so long to type it for some reason. The last chapter should be up, I'm hoping by Monday. Please review! :)


	14. Epilogue

**A/N: **Here it is, the last chapter. I want to thank everyone who has supported this story from the beginning, when it was just a oneshot. It was because of you that I decided to extend the story. Thank you. :)

* * *

**Epilogue**

**Five Months Later**

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, hardly believing what I was seeing. My face didn't seem like mine, but yet it was. The makeup, which wasn't a lot, only accentuated my features. Lou stood behind me, arranging my usually-straight brown hair into soft waves that cascaded down my back. I fingered a strand of hair by my face gently.

"There. All done." Lou proclaimed, stepping back to observe her work.

I turned around in my chair to face the other two girls in the room, my best friend, Soraya, and Joni. We were in Lou and Scott's bedroom because it had the biggest vanity mirror for us to use. When I turned around, both Soraya and Joni let out small gasps and I found myself blushing at their reactions. Soraya stood up, her strapless silver gown flowing around her, and came toward me.

"You look beautiful, Amy," Soraya complimented.

"You really do," Joni agreed.

"Thank you," I mumbled, feeling a blush creep along my cheeks. I stood up and walked over to the bed, where my dress lay. It was a simple white, strapless gown with a satin ribbon around the waist. As soon as I had laid eyes on it, I knew it was the dress for me. "I should probably get dressed."

"Yes, you should," Lou said, coming forward to help. "We don't want Ty to think you got cold feet and ran away."

_Never again, _I thought to myself, even though I knew she was only joking.

Fifteen minutes later, I stood up at the top of the stairs, watching my friends and family down in the living room. I could hear guests arriving outside and my stomach started turning nervously. This was actually happening. I was about to walk out the door and marry Ty, my one true love. I took a few deep, calming breaths to relieve some of the anxiety, until I realized it wasn't nerves, it was excitement. I was excited to move on to the next phase of my life.

"Piddy dess,"

I looked down the stairs toward the small voice, and saw one-year-old Georgia standing at the bottom, in her white and silver flower girl dress, pointing up at me. I blushed when everybody stopped talking and stared up at me. Even Holly looking up from counting her flower petals in her basket. Lou came over and picked up Georgia as I started walking down the steps. When I reached the bottom, I cleared my throat.

"You can all stop staring at me now," I told them.

They all laughed. "Amy, nobody's gonna be able to take their eyes off of you, so you might as well get used to it." Lou said. Georgia was still looking at me as she reached out to me. I took her small hand in mine and smiled at her.

"Are you sure you're going to be able to do this?" I asked, looking at my very pregnant sister.

"Hey, I still have four more weeks to go," Lou said, smiling. "I'm gonna burn these shoes by the end of the night, but I plan on having fun." I laughed along with her.

"Aunt Amy! Aunt Amy!" Holly exclaimed, running up to me, her basket swinging in her hand. "How do I look?" She gave a little twirl. Her dress, like her sister's, had small straps and it was white with a silver ribbon around the waist that ended in a bow in the back.

"You look beautiful," I told her, kneeling down in front of the little girl. "One of the prettiest flower girls I've ever seen."

Holly beamed. She fingered the silver horseshoe pendant I was wearing around my neck as she said, "But you look more beautiful."

"Aw, thank you," I replied, running my hand down her blonde curls. "Are you going to help your sister throw flowers down the aisle?"

Holly nodded enthusiastically and Lou added, "They're been practicing all week."

"You have?" I asked Holly.

"Yup, but Georgie keeps throwing big piles," Holly explained, throwing her hands up. "I tell her one or two, but she don't listen."

"That's okay," I smiled at her. Then, I pointed toward the coffee table. "You dropped some flowers over there." Holly gasped and ran over to scoop up the flower petals. I stood up as Lou put Georgia down. Georgia went over to see what her sister was doing.

There was a soft knock at the front door, then a second later, my thirteen-year-old half-sister came bounding inside, following a few feet behind her was my father. Lily was dressed like the other bridesmaids, in a silver t-length dress. Soraya's dress was gown-length since she was my maid of honor.

"Amy, you look beautiful!" Lily gushed right before she was ambushed by Holly, who threw herself at her younger aunt. Lily laughed and picked up the four-year-old.

"Scott sent me in here to tell you all the guests are seated and ready," Tim announced. His eyes roamed around the room until they landed on me. He started walking over to me, his eyes misting over with unshed tears.

"Well then, we shouldn't keep them waiting any longer," Lou said, taking Georgia's hand and walking toward the door. Everybody followed her, including Lily, who was carrying Holly. I stepped up next to my father.

"I can't believe you're getting married already," Tim whispered, holding his arm out to me. I took it without saying anything. I didn't know what to say. "I feel like I'm still getting to know who you are."

"There's still time," I told him truthfully, looking at him. He looked over at me and smiled. I squeezed his arm. "Just don't let me fall, okay?"

"Never," Tim responded and kissed my temple.

**/X/**

The music was playing and the bridesmaids had just gone down the aisle. Holly and Georgia followed after them. Everything was going smoothly except when Holly had tried to help her sister, Georgia had screamed at her and ran all the way to Scott, who was standing by Ty. Holly was all to happy to skip down the aisle, throwing the rest of the petals by herself. Now, it was my turn. I took a deep breath and tried to loosen my grip on my father's arm.

The music changed tempo and everybody stood up from their chairs and turned in our direction as we approached the aisle. We stopped for a moment and my eyes immediately found Ty. He stood next to the makeshift alter, the afternoon sun shone behind him, enveloping him in a golden halo. I smiled. Even from this distance, I could see the smile on Ty's face.

The distance between us seemed to have shrunk in half, because before I knew it, I was standing before the alter. Ty came toward me as my father kissed my cheek and put my hand in Ty's. _Ready?_ Ty mouthed and I nodded, smiling at him. We took our places in front of the Reverend and the ceremony began.

"We are gathered here today, to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony..."

The words seemed to blur together as I stared up at Ty. His hands in mine, his eyes, his sparkling green eyes never left mine. They were pulling me in and I couldn't seem to get out, not that I wanted to. It wasn't until the Reverend said my name that I came back to reality.

I licked my lips and said, "I take you, Ty, to be my lawfully, wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as we both shall live."

Then it was Ty's turn. "I take you, Amy, to be my lawfully, wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as we both shall live."

The rings were next.

Felix, Ty's best man, handed us each a wedding band. "With this ring, I thee wed." I said quietly, sliding the ring onto Ty's left ring finger.

Ty smiled as he took my left hand, the ring in the other hand, which shook slightly. He slid the ring carefully onto my finger. "With this ring, I thee wed." Ty replied.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife," the Reverend concluded. "You may kiss the bride."

Ty leaned in toward me and I met him halfway. My senses came alive when we kissed. I was completely aware of his hands on my face and my arms wrapped around his neck. He made me feel things that I never thought were possible. When the kiss ended, Ty leaned his forehead against mine and smiled at me. I smiled back. I was barely aware of everybody around us, clapping and cheering, but Holly's voice managed to break through.

"Yay! They're married!"

**/X/**

"May I introduce to you Mr. and Mrs. Ty Baldwin!"

Ty and I stepped into the reception tent to an overwhelming amount of applause. Ty led me onto the makeshift dance floor as music started playing through the speakers. He spun me out and I let out a laugh as he pulled me close again. We settled into a slow, swaying motion, his hands on my waist and my arms around his neck. I looked around at all our friends and family surrounding us, happiness radiating off of me. When Ty kissed my cheek, I looked back at him.

"I love you," he told me.

"I love you, too." I replied.

I leaned my head against Ty's chest, breathing in his familiar scent. He wrapped his arms more securely around me and rested his head against mine. I closed my eyes, never wanting to leave the circle of his arms. I smiled to myself when I realized I never had to. I could be with Ty forever.

_So glad you were around_

_When they said,_

_Speak Now_


End file.
